Parliamentarians want more than oral responses to queries and issues raised in the Dewan Rakyat, a backbencher pointed out.

Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) said ministers, their deputies and parliamentary secretaries should ensure there is follow-up action by the ministries.

"The action must meet the needs of the people," he said today.

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) earlier complained that he had not received a reply from International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah (BN-Tambun).

Lim asked why Malaysia was ranked lower than Thailand in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2005 by the Lausanne-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

Ahmad Husni said he had given a lengthy reply on the matter but Lim was not in the House at the time.

Malaysia was ranked 28th while Thailand was 27th out of 60 countries. Previously, Malaysia was ranked 16th. This is the first time that Thailand had fared better than Malaysia.

"The fact is that Malaysia has dropped. Are we complacent? Stop the denial syndrome and face reality," said Lim.

He also asked if a task force would be set up to establish the reasons for this dismal showing.

"The government has never been complacent...competitiveness committees are chaired by the prime minister himself. This is an on-going process," replied Ahmad Husni.

The deputy minister also explained that different methodologies are used in the IMD survey in compiling data for the report.

In another development, MPs bombarded Ahmad Husni with questions as to why Malaysian cars have failed to penetrate the international market.

"We must have a time frame. If other countries can do it, why can't we?" asked Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar (BN-Larut).

Responding, Ahmad Husni said there is a time frame - 2008 - by which time 100,000 units of the national cars are expected to be sold abroad.