The controversy surrounding International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz and the Approved Permits (AP) issue is still making the rounds in the Dewan Rakyat.

Today, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang told the House that Rafidah has the worst parliamentary attendance and appearance record since year 2000.

"From parliamentary records, she has appeared in Parliament for two days in 2000, five days in 2001, two days in 2002, six days in 2003, two days in 2004 and two days for this year," said Lim (DAP-Ipoh Timor), while debating the Supplementary Supply (2005) Bill 2005 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

"And in all these six years, she had only appeared once to answer a question during question time but no records to show that she had appeared to reply to MPs during debates," he said, prompting cheers from both BN and Opposition MPs in the house.

Lim also said that Rafidah's rare appearances in Parliament bore resemblance to royal visitations.

"She thinks, acts and believes that she is a queen when she sails into Parliament," quipped Lim.

Disappearance act

To this, Badruddin Amiruldin (BN-Jerai) stood up and jokingly asked what is the difference between an MP queen and the rest, which stirred some laughter among the MPs.

Now in his element, Lim continued with his salvo, "With her contempt for Parliament and blatant breach of parliamentary privileges of MPs, acting as if she is a minister who is above Parliament, who is constantly 'on the run' from the media, Umno supreme council, cabinet and Parliament, and not acting as if she is a minister 'in exile overseas' spending most of her time outside the country, Rafidah is a liability in the two-year premiership of (Prime Minister) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi."

He added that there must be zero-tolerance for such ministerial dereliction of duty.

He also called for the cabinet to censure Rafidah and ask for her resignation from the cabinet if she is not prepared to stop her "imperial ministership."

According to Lim, Rafidah has become the most 'imperial' minister in the nation's 46-year history of Parliament. Making her rare appearances in Parliament like a royal presence, she comes to Parliament to bestow the beneficence of her imperial personality on ordinary MPs.

The opposition leader also noted that Rafidah has not been attending cabinet meetings as well, to discuss the important AP issue, which directly affects her portfolio and conduct.

Message to Rafidah

During Lim's debate, Mohamad Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) said that he acknowledged the opposition leader's grouses towards Rafidah. However, he asked if Lim would express his dissatisfaction in the same manner when the minister herself is present in the House.

Lim assured that he was not only 100 percent certain, but 200 percent certain that he would make the same speech if Rafidah is present in the House.

When Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) stood to participate in the debate, Deputy Speaker Dr Yusof Yacob cautioned that he would not allow AP related issues to be raised anymore.

However, Mokhtar did not heed this and went on to say that "I want to bring up the AP issue because it concerns the financial issue, and because of AP the government loses out."

He said although the minister was not present in the House, he hoped that the ministry's officials would be able to convey the 'AP message' to the minister.

On Thursday, Lim failed in his bid to refer Rafidah 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 Sept 20 when he had asked for a full list of AP holders since 1978 including individuals.

Speaker Ramli Ngah Talib rejected the motion on the grounds that Lim, who tabled the motion under standing order 26 (1) (p) - which requires the motion to be tabled on the spot when the concerned issue occurs - should have move the motion on Sept 20.

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)