Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang  

(Petaling Jaya, Friday): The APs scandal is getting curiouser and curiouser with the different explanations given for the fourth consecutive Cabinet absence of the Minister for International Trade and Industry, Datuk Paduka Rafidah Aziz on Wednesday despite the public notice  by Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak last Saturday that Rafidah would be asked to explain the APs scandal.

Utusan Malaysia today quoted Rafidah as saying hat she was absent from the Cabinet meeting two days ago because she was still on “leave” and that she took the occasion of her leave to get her “swollen leg” treated.

This is the first time anyone knew that Rafidah was “still on leave” last Wednesday and it must rate as the best-kept  state secret as even Najib, the Deputy Prime Minister who chaired the Cabinet in the absence in Los Angeles of the Prime Minister, and the Chief Secretary, Tan Sri Samsudin Osman did not know, as both  had to give various explanations for Rafidah’s absence.

However, Rafidah’s “leave” seemed to be a very unique one –  where she was on “leave” from Cabinet meetings but not other official Ministerial duties, as she was attending various functions in the past few days though she kept avoiding the media as well as attending the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting on Monday.

Whatever the reasons, Rafidah had shown  utter contempt for the Cabinet in her four consecutive Cabinet absences at a time when she was in the eye of the AP storm and should be present at  Cabinet meetings to give  full and satisfactory explanations about the multitude of questions surfacing on the APs scandal.

I had on Sunday called for a special Cabinet meeting to devote a full meeting on the APs scandal as Rafidah had clearly failed to give satisfactory explanation of   the APs scandal – something which is obvious not only to the  former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad but to anyone following closely the long-running AP scandal.

I repeat my call for a special Cabinet meeting for Rafidah to “tell all” about the issuance of APs for the 18 years she was responsible as the Minister for International Trade and Industry, and for the Cabinet  to assume responsibility in accordance with the principle of collective responsibility and in line with the  Prime Minister’s pledge for accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.

(05/08/2005)