KUALA LUMPUR: Approve Permits (APs) for imported cars continues to haunt former International Trade and Industry Minister (Miti) Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR - Gombak) has alleged that APs were given to Rafidah’s relatives after a committee chaired by the then secretary-general of Miti Tan Sri Sidek Hassan to approve APs had decided not to award franchise APs in 2005.

He said franchise APs for Volkswagen were given to one Autostadt Sdn Bhd, owned by one Zulkifli Ishak, whose wife is Rafidah’s niece Annie Tajol Arus.

“Till now the company has no showroom but only dealers to sell the cars,” he said Wednesday in Dewan Rakyat while debating the budget at the committee stage.

Azmin alleged that another company by the name of Aminrah Ventures Sdn Bhd was given 150 APs in 2007 and 225 APs this year where the owner of the company was also said to be a relative of Rafidah’s.

“Amirah Ventures also has no showroom till now,” he said.

Earlier, Azmin also questioned why a total of 45,682 APs were given to 77 companies from 2004 to 2006.

Going by RM50,000 for each AP, Azmin said Naza Consortium, which had a total of 8,481 APs in three years, were able to rake in RM424mil of cash without risk.

“My question is why Naza is given so many APs.

“Another question is why APs were only given to 77 companies and not others. Also, the award of APs do not seem to be fair and transparent,” said Azmin.

To this, deputy minister Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan replied that an audit was being conducted on APs and a review on APs would be carried out later.

Jacob, in his reply to Lim Kit Siang (DAP - Ipoh Timur), also denied that more APs were issued as the Umno election neared.

“The number of APs issued are decreasing,” he said.

In 2005, a total of 70,381 APs were issued, 60,460 in 2006, 50,304 last year and 44,168 this year.

Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Independent - Pasir Mas) then suggested that the ministry lowers the number of APs issued to 5% of the market demand.

“Japan and South Korea do not allow imported cars at all,” he said.

- The Star

Comments (13)

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written by Beezee_Beezee, November 19, 2008 17:39:29

AP AP buka pintu nana balik mau bawa wang untuk UMNO kempen politic....
Apa nak jadi dengan Kerajaan..Baru baru ini konon nak stop issuance of APs sekarang ni dah mencacah 44K..ah yoo yoo. 44,168 X 50,000 = RM2,208,400,000 I hope the money goes to Finance Ministry????opppssssss

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written by DreamLady, November 19, 2008 17:50:09

Rafidah Aziz files have been gathering dust in ACA office far decades! Nobody dares to go near her, let alone questioning her regarding the issue of APs, for fear of reprimanded.

The cases of corruption do not seem to end at all. If only these guilty ones dare to pluck up the courage and come clean in public, that shall prompt the rest of the guilty to come forward as well.

The politicians, veteran or the new ones alike, they never seem to realize that they are not going to live in this world forever and ever....they shall perish one day, not only they could not bring along their ill-gotten wealth, but they shall burden themselves with plenty of sin into the graves.....

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written by c53k, November 19, 2008 18:02:55

Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Independent - Pasir Mas);

“Japan and South Korea do not allow imported cars at all,”

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This katak is just trying to hoodwink the kampong Malays.

There r many imported foreign made cars in Japan & S Korea. They r expensive but not as expensive as the same import in M'sia, comparative-wise. U don't also need AP to import them.

So go figure how the umnoputra is sucking bloods out of all M'sians!

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written by myvoice, November 19, 2008 18:05:23

Rafidah kan ratu AP, kalau tak bagi kat relative, nak bagi siapa lagi? I cuma ambil AP, yang lain ambil bilion-bilion!!!

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written by Lembing, November 19, 2008 18:12:32

THIS AP SYSTEM is just one of UMNO PUTRAS SCHEME to enrich themselves in a supposedly legal way. Why can't the BN Government just collect the import duties on imported car as part of the Government revenue. WHY do we need this ridiculous AP scheme??

This AP system, as I see it, is just DAYLIGHT ROBBERY by UMNO to enrich its cronies and warlords. How ridiculous! Yet the ordinary RAKYAT just accept this AP system. How could Malaysians accept this direct siphoning of taxpayers' funds directly into the pockets of UMNO PUTRAS and their cronies. Can't you guys see through this corrupt UMNO scheme.

Remember the evil MA-HAR who was screaming at Rafidah for not allocating the APs to his sons. Its only after some APs were given to his son that he kept his big fouled mouth shut.

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written by ahmadneil, November 19, 2008 18:55:26

Apa itu,Rafidah.U suka curi rakyat punya barang.Selalu u kaseh AP kapade u punya cronies.U gemok Antu.

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written by borneoman, November 19, 2008 19:47:16

fcuk the umno aca for allowing all these power abuse by bn.all sarawkian will curse you .

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written by BUTEK, November 19, 2008 19:50:07

Tampal sticker dan poster "UMNO PEROMPAK WANG NEGARA" di kereta dan motosikal sbgai tanda protes pada para penyamun bangsat!!!!!!

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written by whlau, November 19, 2008 20:23:57

In other countries, this is called "slush fund" - otherwise how else do the politicians fund their election campaigns. This is but only one of the ways. That is why, a certain politician can recently come out and openly declare that he is not involved in money politics, but in the same sentence can go on to say that if other people give money, it is their business, so he is not involved!

And if the rakyat continue to persist in questioning these irregularities, these warlords will come out and threaten you with questioning their rights and make police reports against the rakyat. This is why this UMNO gomen will defend till their graves any dismantling of these money spinning machines

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written by jshing2158, November 19, 2008 20:44:29

YB (Yang Bodoh? Yang Bodek?)Ibrahim Ali is really behind time lah. Their imported cars are much cheaper than those in Malaysia because they practise open market and they do not have minister the likes of Rafidah Aziz and and Govt like the BN. Blood suckers all of them. All these bad UMNOPUTRAS muslims. I am sure no matter how many times you pray and ask for forgiveness for all the sins you commited intentionally or unintentionally, you will still go to hell and your decendents will suffer for it. No amount of ill gotten monies will be able to help them. I hope and pray to the almighty that when they die their bodies wll not be accepted by the holy earth.

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written by Alice, November 19, 2008 21:10:09

I am totally sick and tired of Rafidah Aziz.She must get lost from the Malaysian political scene. Such a crap of a woman. I totally admire the guy who is married to her. Such great tolerance he has .

By the way Rafidah and Samy Veloo has the same kind of effect on me. At least these days I don't hear much of Samy and his crappy stories.

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written by Ironside, November 19, 2008 21:37:06

May GODS Wrath befall these sorry excuse of BLOODSUCKERS,AMEEN

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written by Engineer, November 20, 2008 06:41:39

Ibrahim got 1 AP (Apa Party) I know of.

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