International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz misled Umno delegates over the Approved Permits (AP) scandal, claimed former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In a 21-point statement today, he also responded to Rafidah's allusion that he does not remember certain facts.

Mahathir said her allegations at last week's Umno general assembly and during interviews that "I might have forgotten this and that" was not true.

"Although I am already 80 years old, I am not senile," he was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.

Mahathir had earlier today at a press conference called on the government to release the complete list of AP holders since the practice began in the 1970s.

According to him, the "people should know the whole truth and nothing but the truth".

He questioned why only the list for 2005 was made public.

"Once you have released, release everything because people may feel suspicious. I like people to think that the government is transparent as promised, and will give all figures.

"When I was prime minister, and I was accused of giving contracts to cronies, I took out the whole pile showing out all the contracts and put that out unamended," he was quoted as saying by the Star .

Contrary to the original aims of the issuance of APs which was to raise the number of bumiputeras in the auto industry, Mahathir said the permits have only enriched certain individuals.

This was especially so when two or three individuals without showrooms had obtained thousands of such permits, he explained.

He also said the clash over the APs issue was not a difference in statements between individuals or the minister and a retiree (himself), but about a national industry.

There was never any decision by the government during his tenure as prime minister not to release the list of names of AP recipients to the public, he claimed.

"Perhaps the decision (not to release the names) was made by the present government. The question is whether the decision was made before or after the minister announced that the government's policy was not to release the names of AP holders," he noted.

Franchise AP

Mahathir, who is now Proton adviser, said that although there were no official restrictions over retired government officers receiving special privileges, the public is asking "why only this officer got thousands of APs when he has not even fulfilled the required conditions".

He said many auto dealers, including the Malay Automobile Importers and Distributors of Malaysia had asked for the APs but did not get these.

"They were also not told about the franchise category of APs. If they had received APs under this category, there would have been more AP holders," he said.

In the statement which contained a number of sarcastic remarks, Mahathir said the availability of 'franchise APs' was not announced to car dealers openly, but that the sudden introduction had benefited certain individuals.

The former premier had opened a can of worms when he recently lashed out at the government for allowing foreign cars to be brought in cheaply, thus affecting national cars.

He also questioned why certain individuals had received thousands of permits. Subsequently the Prime Minister's Department released the list of AP holders.

It was revealed that four individuals held a total exceeding 25,000 APs to import luxury cars into the country over the last three years.

The scandal led to certain quarters calling on Rafidah to resign.

Salient points of Mahathir's statement

  • My son received a small number of APs (95) to import the Porsche, but he fulfilled the conditions. To sell 50 cars of this model is not easy. Don't linked my family whenever something that should not be done happened.

  • I am forced to reveal everything to protect the interest of the national car industry and not "because I did not get APs" as claimed by an English newspaper.

  • I have received the letter of explanation from the minister of international trade and industry (Rafidah Aziz). I found that the content of the letter and attached documents did not prove the claims made by the minister. They included the approval for Naza Ria to be accorded national car status, the number of APs issued between 2004-2005, the terms and conditions for issuing the APs, the types of APs issued, names of those (companies and individuals) who received APs and the total they received respectively.

  • The allegation made by the minister at the Umno general assembly and during TV interviews that I might have forgotten this and that was not true. Although I am already 80 years old, I am not senile.

  • At first, after replying to the minister's letter, a copy of which was sent to the cabinet, I did not have the intention of making any more statements. It was up to the cabinet to determine what is true and what is not true. However, because the minister did not speak truthfully to Umno delegates and the public, I was forced to make a clarification.

  • During my tenure as prime minister, there was never any decision by the government not to release the list of names of AP recipients to the public. Perhaps the decision was made by the present government. The question is whether the decision was made before or after the minister (Rafidah) announced that the government's policy was not to release the names of AP holders.

  • I was once trade and industry minister. The explanation by the minister (Rafidah) that she cancelled many of the APs of holders who did not fulfill conditions when she took over the ministry showed how strict she was then. Who was her predecessor at that time? As this was not mentioned, some might think I was the person.

  • I am not envious of Malays becoming rich. But their wealth must be obtained in the right way. I had many times ticked off those who sell their APs to get rich quickly. It is clear that the problem of APs being sold is now widespread. It is the responsibility of a minister to monitor the situation to ensure such abuses do not occur.

  • Mahathir's full statement in Bahasa