APIA, Samoa — Minister of Finance Faumuina Tiatia Liuga requested Treasury buy him a new $300,000 motor vehicle Talamua has learnt.Faumuina laughed when he was asked about it yesterday and denied it.“I made no such request,” he said.“My CEO (Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Finance) asked me if I wanted a motor vehicle and I said no, the pick-up I’m using is enough,” the Minister said.“That’s all I can tell you,” he said.However Talamua was reliably informed that Faumuina submitted a request for the vehicle to Treasury three weeks ago and the matter was referred to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi.Tuilaepa rejected the request Talamua was told.Faumuina said to remember that all such requests go before Cabinet.Talamua was told Faumuina’s request for a $300, 000 vehicle went to the Prime Minister who rejected it, and the matter wasn’t put before Cabinet.CEO of Finance Lavea Tupa’imatuna Iulai was unavailable for comment – he was at a meeting.Media inquiries at Treasury were referred to one of the Assistant Chief Executive Officers Rosita Matalavea.Ms. Matalavea told reporters she understood what they wanted.She said she may only answer questions about the matter if permitted to do so by her CEO.“I cannot answer your questions as I have protocols I must follow,” she said.The Prime Minister is currently in Hawaii.Faumuina struck trouble in the Human Rights Protection Party caucus last month partly over his alleged abuse of state owned vehicles.Caucus members complained he was using four vehicles for his personal use, including a Lexus.