Deja vu for Rafidah as opposition resurrects AP issue - malaysiakini

By Shannon Teoh
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 – The Approved Permits (AP) scandal returned to haunt former International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz in Parliament today.

The opposition targetted the former minister over the issuance of APs for imported cars in the ongoing committee-level budget debate and alleged corruption on her part.

PKR vice president Azmin Ali alleged that under Rafidah, the ministry had issued APs in 2005 to a company owned by her relatives.

“He did it without the knowledge of the committee formed for the purpose of issuing APs. What is more disturbing is that Autostadt (the company issued the APs) to this day has no showroom or sales and service centres which is a prerequisite for the issuance of such APs,” he said in reference to Tan Sri Sidek Hassan, who was the ministry secretary-general when rafidah was the minister.

The APs, for the import of Volkswagen cars, were issued to Autostadt Sdn Bhd, whose shareholders, Azmin claimed, were Zulkifli Ishak and his wife, Annie Tajul Arus, who is Rafidah’s niece.

The Gombak MP also alleged that Amira Venture Sdn Bhd was connected to Rafidah through a relative and had been issued 375 open APs (for the import of any car) since 2007.

Rafidah, the Kuala Kangsar MP, was not in the House. She is also seeking reelection as Umno Wanita chief in what appears will be a straight fight with her deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil, who is set to announce her candidacy tomorrow.

International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan, in his winding-up speech, replied to Azmin that the ministry was conducting an audit on APs and would only be able to give a full answer later.

He also told Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) that the AP issue was under control as 70,381 permits were issued in 2005, 60,460 in 2006, 50,304 last year 2007 and 44,168 this year.

“This shows the trend is in decline and not as claimed by Ipoh Timur,” he said, referring to Lim’s claim that APs were being issued as sweeteners to gain support in the March Umno elections.
In the lobby, Azmin told reporters that APs were being monopolised by certain players in the market.

“On average, all 77 companies should each receive 600 APs but some like Naza Konsortium Sdn Bhd were given 8,431 permits from 2004 to 2006. Surely this is an unusually large number of APs for one company.” he said.

Estimating each AP to be worth RM50,000, Azmin said Naza would stand to make RM424 million in cash without even having to bring in a single vehicle as the scarcity of APs makes them saleable documents on their own. -- The Malaysian Insider