The first step that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should take in his bid to review the Approved Permits (AP) scandal is to revoke the APs of those who have abused their privileges, said Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang today.

"Revoke the APs, whether open or franchise. Customs officials have confirmed that under-declaration by AP holders or their agents is very rampant. A Subaru Impreza with a market price of RM201,000 is imported with a landing price of RM20,000," he said in a statement.

Abdullah had announced the review and called for full disclosure of AP holders' names while in South Africa two days ago.

International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz who claimed that she had revoked APs given to 153 companies in 1987 was told by Lim to revoke more now.

The opposition leader said that "the last service Rafidah can provide after 18 years as minister for trade and industry is to purge the lists of open and franchise AP holders" by revoking the APs of current abusers.

Eventually, Lim said, the government should abolish the AP system.

These errant holders in 1987 had their APs revoked for not complying with the necessary requirements. Their companies were not operational, did not have showrooms, had accounts which were improperly managed and had re-sold their APs to non-bumiputeras.

AP holders over the years are said to have cost the nation over RM1 billion in annual losses because of under-declaration.

Dr M vindicated

Meanwhile, Lim said that the second AP holders list, released on Tuesday under Abdullah's directive, has vindicated former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Mahathir had accused Rafidah of misleading Umno, the cabinet and the nation when she released an incomplete list of AP holders.

"It is a demonstration that although he is only Proton adviser, having stepped down as prime minister for over 21 months, Mahathir has more comprehensive and up-to-date information about APs than the current prime minister and even Rafidah," Lim said.

Rafidah's deputy, Mah Siew Keong, was also reprimanded by the opposition leader for his role in 'misleading the public'.

"With Tuesday's release of the 2004 AP list, showing a total allocation of 66,277 APs, Mah has been caught red-handed as misleading Parliament and the nation. Will Mah apologise to Mahathir, Parliament and the nation?" he asked.

Mah had said Mahathir's figures of 67,000 APs issued last year did not tally with the ministry's statistics of only 51,713 issued.

Lim further urged, as part of the review process, for the lists of AP holders since 1970 to be released now.

"Public confidence in government accountability, transparency and integrity can only be restored if there is full publication of all AP lists for the past 35 years including the periods when MITI was headed by Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah," he added.