Dili, Sept. 15, 2025 (Lusa) - The East Timorese MPs from the National Congress for the Reconstruction of East Timor (CNRT), the Democratic Party (PD), and Khunto have backed down on their decision to buy new cars for parliamentarians, following protests from university students and civil society.
‘We decided together, the three benches, and we intend to ask the National Parliament to annul the entire process relating to the purchase of vehicles for MPs,’ the spokesman for the three caucuses, MP Patrocínio Fernandes of the CNRT, the party led by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, told reporters.
Students from four Timorese universities and members of civil society today staged a protest outside Parliament against the perks enjoyed by the country's 65 MPs, which include the recent decision to purchase new cars worth more than $3 million.
The demonstration was eventually dispersed with tear gas and rubber bullets after the students threw stones and other objects at the parliament building.
Despite being dispersed, the demonstrators reconvened in protest in the same place, but no further incidents were reported.
The MP explained that the decision had been taken not to buy cars for MPs during the current parliamentary term.
Patrocínio Fernandes stressed that the measure was not the result of external pressure, but rather an internal analysis of the concerns expressed by the MPs themselves, who, however, also recognise the sensitivity of public opinion.
The press conference was also attended by Armando dos Santos Lopes, President of the PD (the governing coalition party), and António Verdeal, president of the opposition KHUNTO party.
Patrocínio Fernandes recalled that the intention to purchase the vehicles was based on the statute for MPs, which provides for adequate conditions for the exercise of the parliamentary mandate, including transport.
According to the MP, the concerns had arisen due to the poor state of the current fleet, the high maintenance costs and the parliamentary secretariat's difficulties in efficiently managing the vehicles allocated to MPs.
After further analysing the situation, the CNRT, PD and KHUNTO benches have now decided to suspend the execution of the €3.5 million budget for the purchase of vehicles, included in this year's State Budget.
‘The CNRT, PD and KHUNTO benches [which represent the majority of MPs] are aware that the decision to buy vehicles does not correspond to public concerns,’ added Patrocínio Fernandes.
The Timorese parliament also includes the Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor (Fretilin) and the People's Liberation Party (PLP).
Last week, the leader of the Timorese opposition, Mari Alkatiri, called on the government to urgently resolve the social and political problems in the country, to avoid scenarios similar to what is happening in neighbouring countries.
"I always say that the situation in our country today may seem better, but we all know that the problems are piling up. We can say that we are entering a “time bomb” situation," said the secretary-general of the Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor (Fretilin) last Thursday, referring specifically to university students.
Young university students and civil society had been protesting for some time against the purchase of new vehicles for MPs. ‘If we don't manage this situation well, we could soon face many social, political and even conflictual problems,’ warned Fretilin's secretary-general at the time.
DPYF/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
