The allocation of the controversy-ridden Approved Permits (AP) to import foreign luxury cars should be made through the tender process, Suhaili Abdul Rahman (BN-Labuan) suggested to Parliament today.

Debating Budget 2006, Suhaili (left) said the move would help the government gain revenue and channel more funds towards assisting bumiputeras.

"Many of the current AP holders have made billions of ringgit merely through these papers [...] those who benefitted have never helped the bumiputeras," he claimed.

He said by tendering out the APs - be they the open or franchised types - a new income source would be created for the government in turn enabling bumiputera foundations such as the National Education Higher Loan Fund to benefit.

However, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Keadilan-Permatang Pauh) said the AP system should be abolished to expedite removal of tariffs protection for national cars.

"We believe the public should not continue to subsidise the national automobile industry just because the industry has failed to be competitive," she told the House.

"Taxpayers should not be burdened twice by subsidising the automobile industry while at the same time having to pay a high price for cars," she said.

Government ignoring AP

The PKR president also expressed her disappointment at the Budget 2006 tabled by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last week as it did not touch on the automobile industry.

"The heated debate on APs has focussed public attention on the automobile industry which is marred by irregularities, abuse of power and corruption," she said.

"Unfortunately, the government continues to ignore the views and worries of the public on these issues."