Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz today insisted she will not quit despite criticism over her handling of a row about the nation's auto industry which reduced her to tears this week.

"Do you all like to see me step down? If you don't, then don't ask this question. It is not worth commenting on," she told reporters.

"You ask the prime minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi). It is not any minister's prerogative. The prime minister has the power. (There is) no point asking me," she said.

Rafidah is one of the most senior figures in Abdullah's administration and a one-time close ally of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad until the two came to blows in recent weeks over the Proton national car.

The minister, nicknamed "Malaysia's Iron Lady" for her tough approach to her job, cracked under the strain Tuesday and sobbed publicly when asked if she would apologise to Mahathir over their war of words.

Deputy Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin today again urged Rafidah to apologise to Mahathir following the row over national carmaker Proton, Mahathir's pet project which he initiated in the 1980s.

"That is not the way Asians talk to their father. I think she is being disrespectful," he said.

No patronage

Rafidah had dismissed Proton vehicles as "shoddy" and suggested it become more competitive rather than cling to government protection and blame an import permit scheme for its sliding market share.

Abdullah's office on Monday issued a list of major recipients of import permits which were launched in 1970 as a way to help ethnic Malay businesspeople advance against the minority Chinese who dominate the economy.

The list of four businessmen includes two former senior officials in Rafidah's trade ministry, who together received more than 28,000 of the 67,158 permits issued this year alone.

Rafidah said Tuesday that there was no patronage involved in the award of the licenses and that Malaysia will stick with the permit scheme.