Malaysian Democratic Party (MDP) secretary-general Wee Choo Keong has told the government to stop automatic approval of APs when members of Parliament exercise their entitlement to this.

He said the government should not encourage MPs to buy foreign cars.

"MPs should be loyal to the nation and support our national car - Proton," he said in a statement.

The former Bukit Bintang MP added that APs should only be approved for MPs if the type of car they wish to buy is not produced by Proton.

Meanwhile, former DAP MP for Kampar James Wong Wing On (left)questioned the excitement over the names of MPs with APs, released yesterday in a written reply to Parliamentary Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang.

"It is not wrong for MP to apply for a AP if the car is for personal use. The public should only be concerned if MPs are not using the APs to import cars for their personal use," he said.

He suggested that MPs who have 'sold' their APs for profit to repay the sum to the authorities.

Wong also declared that he had never applied for a AP during his term as a MP.

"I used a second-hand Proton Saga during my term in Parliament. I am still using a Proton today, although it is a new one," he added.

Among the names in the list, issued by the International Trade and Industry Ministry, are prominent Barisan Nasional figure like ministers Syed Hamid Albar, Dr Fong Chan Onn, Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, deputy ministers Mah Siew Keong, Hon Choon Kim, Fu Ah Kiow, Donald Lim, Robert Lau, Zainudin Maidin, Shafie Apdal, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Ramli Ngah Talib and his deputy Lim Si Cheng.

Opposition figures include former and current MPs like Mohamad Sabu, Husam Musa, Nasharuddin Mat Isa, Kamaruddin Jaafar, Salahuddin Ayub (all PAS), Chong Eng, Fong Po Kuan, Teresa Kok, Fong Kui Lun (all DAP) and Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail of Parti Keadilan Rakyat.