Saturday August 13, 2005
Rafidah: I want APs abolished although others may not agree
BY A. LETCHUMANAN
KUALA LUMPUR: After lengthy debates with politicians and those in the automotive industry over the Approved Permit issue – which caused her to break down in tears at one juncture – Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said APs should be abolished.
“This is my personal opinion although others may not agree with me,” she said, when opening a seminar organised by the Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry here yesterday.
The over 300 businessmen who attended the seminar clapped when she said that she was for the abolishment of the AP.
The International Trade and Industry Minister took pains to refute press reports that she was media-unfriendly, saying that any invitation to attend her function was made by the organisers.
“This is supposed to be a closed-door session and we want the members to talk on issues without restrictions,” she said.
In a statement signed by the ministry’s assistant public relations officer Vigian Apanathan, the ministry had told the press not to attend or cover the seminar.
This decision to keep the press at bay reportedly came after the hounding she received from reporters since the controversy over the APs broke in June.
Rafidah said, however, the AP issue was “only a tiny tiny matter among the many things handled by the ministry.”
Earlier Rafidah was driven straight to the eighth floor and then whisked up a flight of stairs to the ballroom while press photographers and television cameraman waited for her at the ground floor.
When several officials tried to prevent photographers from taking her pictures, she immediately told them to allow them to do their duty.
While walking out of the hall, Rafidah who spoke to reporters, said that she did not give the directive for the media not to attend this function.
“In fact, the organisers had requested for it.”
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who was asked to comment on Rafidah’s action to bar reporters from attending and covering the seminar, said the Cabinet did not bar Rafidah from talking to the press.
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