Two former DAP leaders today filed a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) against party stalwart and opposition leader Lim Kit Siang, whom they claimed sold Approved Permits (AP) for importing cars.

The duo - Wee Choo Keong, who is now the secretary-general of the Malaysian Democratic Party (MDP) and Song Sing Kwee, the secretary-general of the splinter Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) - lodged the report with the agency's Kuala Lumpur headquarters.

Yesterday, Lim had challenged Wee, a former parliamentarian, to lodge the report within 48 hours or risk being branded a 'political joker'.

Last week, Wee had given the DAP leader a two-day ultimatum to come clean on the AP scandal.

Accompanied by eight members from the two parties, Wee and Song said they lodged the report because it is their democratic right to do so as concerned citizens.

"We have no alternative but to lodge the report in the hope that the nation will get answers to the question of whether the opposition leader and his DAP MPs received APs and if so, how many have sold their respective APs and to whom," said Wee.

The former Bukit Bintang MP also accused Lim and his party of compromising their heralded principles of transparency and public accountability by keeping mum on the allegations.

"Henceforth, he has no right to touch on principles of transparency, public accountability and abuse of power as he and his MPs were not even prepared to answer a very simple question of public interest," added Wee, a practicing lawyer.

Lim had previously said that he would respond to the allegations once Wee, who was sacked from DAP several years ago, lodged the report.

Running for cover

Speaking to malaysiakini before lodging the report, Wee claimed that the opposition leader was afraid of the truth and is hiding behind political doors.

"He's running for cover. He has been preaching about MPs and other people receiving and selling APs. Why hasn't he responded to the accusations made against himself and his party?" he asked.

He said MDP is against the allocation of APs to parliamentarians - be it ruling or opposition.

"MPs should support the national car industry. They have a higher duty and responsibility to the country than the common man. They shouldn't buy imported cars when they get their salaries from public funds," he added.

Meanwhile, PRM's Song questioned Lim's call for democratic practices and policies over the years.

"All political parties in Malaysia believe in democracy. DAP too believes in democracy, although it has its own brand of democracy as espoused by Lim," said the former state assemblyperson.

The duo, claiming this was not a personal vendetta, had stronger words for their former party leaders when challenging them to an open debate on the AP issue.

"We are not surprised that DAP leaders have not come out with any reply to Wee's challenge. We believe they are hoping this matter will be put to rest over a period of time. We hope they are bold enough to come out in the open for a debate on the issue," said Song.

APs and MPs

Incidentally, Lim has been asking the government to make public the list of all AP holders since the system was introduced, in 1970, which would allow public knowledge names of businessmen and individuals who have imported cars at a lower cost.

"My position on the accountability and transparency of MPs (members of parliament) and APs is clear. I had called on the government to make public all the individual APs which had been issued, averaging a thousand a year, including to ministers, deputy ministers and MPs.

"I have things to say about MPs and APs which I am withholding until Wee has lodged his ACA report. It is food for thought, nonetheless, why no one seems interested about APs and other members of parliament - whether Barisan Nasional or other opposition parties," he said in a statement yesterday.

The former DAP chairperson said he is not fighting the threat in order to expose Wee's 'political chicanery and mischief'.