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Media Statement
by DAPSY Publicity Bureau
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(Petaling Jaya,Tuesday): Although the full list of AP recipients is revealed yesterday by the Prime Minister Office at the eve of the UMNO General Assembly, it does not mean that the issue is considered closed as the government still held responsible to the establishment of a vibrant automobile industry in Malaysia as well as to ensure that the upcoming Malaysia Automobile Policy (MAP) will not be a burden to many Malaysian car-buyers.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister Office (PMO) revealed for the first time the full list of AP recipients from as early as 1970 until now. Although this is an applauded move by the Prime Minister, in lieu of the many urges and demands from various sectors of the society to push the government for greater transparency and accountability of handling the issue of AP in general and the competitiveness of national car-makers (Proton and Perodua) in specific, the story shall not and must not end here.

According to the front page report of NST today (19^th July 2005), 3 AP recipients (Datuk Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim, Datuk Mohd Haniff Abdul Aziz and Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad) are awarded a total of 15,759 APs, while Tan Sri Nasimuddin SM Amin chairman of the Naza Motor Group, held 12,524 APs mainly under Naza Kia Sdn Bhd. Berjaya Group Berhad, Sime Darby Berhad and Tan Sri Vincent Tan are awarded 8,573.

It was the first time ever that the names of AP recipients were made public despite statements by government leaders earlier that the policy of not revealing their name would remain.

To reveal the full list of AP recipients is not the end of the episode as the government shall also be accountable to explain why four people have been given more than 25,000 Approved Permits (APs) to import luxury cars into the country in the last three years. Are there any element of malpractices, corruptions, and wrong-doings in issuing huge number of APs to these individuals and companies? Or the government is prepared to disclose more information on this issue, in particular the “reasoning and justifying” part of the issue which is not made public so far.

Certainly, the AP system should be abolished as it in its first place becomes a breeding place for cronyism, and the system has caused tax evasion amounted to RM 1 billion every year. The government should not turn a blind eye on this aspect and we call on the Prime Minister to abolish the system.

All parties shall not forget that this is not the end of the episode but it is important for each and every Malaysian to know what is the next move from the government to ensure that our automobile industry remains competitive regionally, if not internationally. The excise tax structure on imported cars and the upcoming Malaysian Automobile Policy (MAP) should adequately reflect on this aspect, in which the outcomes should be benefitial to the people and the Ministry of Finance will have no way to silence this issue in its 2006 Budget which will be tabled in the next session of the Parliament.

(19/7/2005)

* DAP Socialist Youth( DAPSY) Publicity Bureau