Dili, September 5, 2025 (Média Democracia) – Students from the Timor-Leste University Student Union (EUTL), representing four universities such as UNTL, UNPAZ, UNDIL, and UNITAL held their third press conference opposing the National Parliament’s decision to purchase 65 Prado vehicles for Members of Parliament. The press conference took place this Wednesday at UNTL’s Central Campus.
Spokesperson Caetano da Cruz stated that the political decision made by the people’s representatives in the plenary hall approved a total budget of $4.2 million to buy 65 Prado vehicles for the MPs in the National Parliament.
“We, Timor-Leste university students (EUTL), deeply regret and totally disagree with the National Parliament’s policy to buy Prado vehicles for the 65 MPs. We see and observe that this policy is not new, it has become a custom or culture since previous governments up to the IX Constitutional Government,” said spokesperson Caetano da Cruz.
He added that during each governing period, there are constant changes, but MPs no longer represent the people to discuss their destiny and welfare. Instead, they represent only their parties, groups, themselves, and their families, ultimately serving the interests of wealthy elites.
“MPs in the National Parliament are no longer functioning to discuss social problems in the country, such as hospitals lacking sufficient medicines to treat patients, insufficient ambulances, declining quality of education, and lack of basic materials and infrastructure like desks, chairs, libraries, and more,” the spokesperson continued.
He stressed that these conditions are severe, yet MPs only look for ways through political decisions and laws to provide privileges and secure benefits for themselves and their families, including protecting their party’s political future in upcoming elections.
“We see that today, the National Parliament has become a place for MPs to insult one another, argue, and fight, turning the plenary into a GMT (gossip, mockery, and trouble) space. These negative behaviors from MPs damage the image and credibility of the sovereign state organ, which should represent the people,” affirmed Caetano da Cruz.
He explained that EUTL considers the culture of buying luxury cars and granting unnecessary privileges should be abolished, with funds redirected to productive sectors such as education, health, agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure, including roads, electricity, and other basic needs.
“We call on the National Parliament, especially the relevant commissions, to carefully assess before approving budgets to buy Prado vehicles for MPs. The large amount of money allocated could instead be directed toward other urgent needs of the people, rather than being wasted on the privileges of individuals or minority groups,” said the spokesperson.
He emphasized that the political decision to buy luxury cars is deeply ironic and should be considered an unnecessary allocation of public funds. Those funds could instead be used to fight poverty, improve infrastructure, and expand public services. Such decisions expose the stark social divide between political elites and ordinary citizens. Luxury cars have now become a symbol of political power while worsening the poverty experienced by the majority.
“We demand MPs to show competence and moral responsibility in solving the country’s pressing issues: lack of medicines leading to deaths, poor-quality education, lack of clean water, and poor road conditions that prevent rural people from accessing towns for survival,” stressed Caetano da Cruz.
He underlined that MPs in the National Parliament must adopt serious policies that focus on collective welfare and national development, instead of decisions that only serve the interests of political groups, parties, and families.
Finally, he urged students from all universities and institutes, veterans, civil society, and ordinary citizens to rise and resist these unjust political decisions that do not serve the people but only benefit MPs and perpetuate social injustice in the Republic.
Reporter: Nelfiano
Photo: Nelfiano