Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) today failed in his bid to refer International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee to face disciplinary action.

Lim wanted the committee to investigate whether there was any breach of privilege in the minister's written reply on Tuesday when the he had asked for a full list of approved permit (AP) holders since 1978 including individuals.

He had also asked why there was a sudden jump in the issuance of APs in 2004 and 2005 when compared to previous years in addition to abuses in the issuance of APs for the import of foreign luxury cars.

Rafidah's written answer had only revealed the number of individual AP holders since 2000 besides the names of parliamentarians who received an AP during the same period. (Each MP and senator is entitled to an AP for the term they serve and can only receive one during their lifetime)

In his motion, Lim gave six reasons why Rafidah should be referred to the committee, which is tasked with investigating and recommending disciplinary action against a member of parliament (MP).

Lim asked why Rafidah's written answer was selective in that it only provided the names of MPs and former MPs when he had asked for three full lists of individuals, open and franchise AP holders since 1978.

He also questioned why the list, was only backdated to 2000 and not to 1997 when MPs were first given the entitlement of an AP each after a Cabinet decision.

False entries

The opposition leader also claimed Rafidah's list contained 'false entries' in that it said Deputy Federal Territory Minister Zulhasnan Rafique had received APs though the latter had denied this.

Lim added the list contained six MPs who had been given two APs each although an MP is only entitled to one during his or her life time. The six are Deputy Federal Territories Minister Yew Teong Look, Safinah Jusoh, Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof, Abdul Karim Abdul Ghani (all senators) and Udam@George Adam Talek and Nosimah Hashim (both ex-senators).

Lim wanted to know whether the selective nature of the AP recipients list was meant to distract attention from the AP scandal or an attempt to intimidate MPs from carrying out their parliamentary duties in holding up the minister concerned for scrutiny and accountability.

Speaker Ramli Ngah Talib rejected the motion on the grounds that Lim, who tabled the motion under standing orders 26(1)(p) - which requires the motion to be tabled on the spot when the concerned issue occurs - should have moved the motion last Tuesday instead.

Observers in the August House, however, were taken aback when no loud table-thumping from the government backbenchers greeted the speaker's decision which was instead met by silence.

At a press conference later, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said this was 'a sign of disagreement with the speaker's decision'.