Responding to public concern about expenditure on state vehicles and demands for transparent use, the council said it would no longer tolerate in action.

Arao Noe, President of National Parliament, said 53 Prado vehicles remained unaccounted for.

"If the ex-member of the National Parliament still maintain their vehicles we have two ways to respond; namely through the judicial process and will ask the police to take action, '' Noe told parliament on Monday.

Noe said letters sent to former government members calling for vehicle return had been ignored.

State vehicle use has fueled widespread backlash amongst university students across Timor-Leste demanding better responsible use of state funds than purchasing of new vehicles.

In July 2018, Members of the Movement of Youth and Student (MEUJTL) union called for urgent changes in parliamentarian’s state vehicle use after it was made public that a number of PRADO cars were sold by former ministers during the recent government change and remained unaccounted for.

At the time, spokesperson for MEUJTL, Eldino Sama Luli, called for immediate accountability on the money for each car auction and the location of all cars.

Former government members were allowed to sell their State PRADO vehicles in private auctions for US$8000. However many cars, and the proceeds of the private auctions remain unaccounted for.

Noe said the government had no plans or budget to buy new vehicles, deeming the old vehicles fit for use.