KUALA TERENGGANU: There are 17,399 single mothers in the state, 11 of them below 20 years old and 927 are below 30.

"This is worrying as these women are still young and resourceful," Welfare, Social and Women Development Committee chairman Asha'ari Idris told the State Legislative Assembly.

He said the number of single mothers was increasing each year and the Terengganu Family Development Foundation had been helping this group to be self-reliant.

Asha'ari said Kemaman topped the list with 2,384 single mothers while Hulu Terengganu had the lowest with 1,702.

He said there were several factors that caused these women to be single mothers, including divorce and death.

Asha'ari said the state government rendered aid not only to the single mothers but also to their children.

"They (single mothers and their children) automatically qualify for the special monetary aid disbursed by the state government for Hari Raya and other financial schemes," he added.

He said assistance in the form of courses and seminars were organised in every constituency to uplift the living standards of this group.

On another matter, Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said state exco members would continue using the Mercedes Benz E200 Kompressors until the 14 Proton Perdanas V6 Executive were returned after investigations into their high maintenance cost.

"The Mercedes purchased by the state is the smallest in its class and the decision (to buy them) was justified as the cars are economical," he told Datuk Harun Taib (PAS - Munir).

Ahmad said the cars had better safety features and were reliable, and would have a high second-hand value.