It is strange that the minister who refused to disclose the AP recipients, upon disclosure, is quick to proclaim that there is no impropriety in the awarding of APs. First of all, when everyone knows that APs are a lucrative possession, why is the government so generous to give them away and not sell them?

The huge amount of revenue forgone is a compromise on the development needs of the country be it in building schools or hospitals.

Secondly, the few, very lucky recipients claim that they deserve the APs. Well, why not other citizens as well? It is an insult to the intelligence of Malaysians that only these few politically-connected recipients are capable to selling the imported cars when everyone knows that imported cars sell better than locally made ones.

Why not tender out the APs to find the most capable sellers? All the recipients who are VIPs in politics think that they deserve the APs but how about the bumiputeras out there who are the target of help by the AP scheme. Are they less deserving in getting into the auto trade?

And it seems, the recipients of APs have been checked thoroughly and professionally. If so, why are there AP recipients who later just sell their APs for quick profit? Did the government not bother to check on such abuses after `professionally' giving out APs for so many decades?

Why didn't they audit the APs to weed out those who resell their APs? They should also furnish this list of abusers to show that they are on top of the situation.

The AP scheme cannot be justified. If the purpose was to control car imports to protect Proton, the 300 percent duty for imported cars has already done the trick. There is duplication or redundancy here with the sole purpose of giving privileged incomes to Barisan Nasional cronies.

It has been claimed that the APs are responsible for the under-declaring of new imported car prices. Actually this is a red herring. Most imported items are marked down to reduce import duties payable.

This is the `job' of logistics companies the world over and has nothing to do with APs. With or without APs there will still be under-declarations. It is not for nothing that the Customs and Excise Department has been found to be the most corrupt department even ahead of the police.

The AP system will have to go. When Afta comes fully into force, the regional partners of Asean will question the AP system. And if they have their way, they will force Malaysia to get rid of this non-tarriff barrier to car market liberalisation. The days of APs are numbered.