With this additional perk, they join the ranks of members of parliament as well as car dealers and importers, diplomats and other privileged individuals permitted to apply for the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) for APs.
A
letter by Miti's import and export division issued in February and addressed to Selangor assembly secretary Mohd Yasin Bidin said that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had agreed to the move on Oct 25, 2009.This is in order to give recognition to the contributions of the 'yang berhormats' to "the people and the nation," said the letter.
Once obtained, the imported vehicle - which must five years old or less - cannot be transferred to any other party, it added.
It has yet to be determined whether the extension of APs to state assembly members mean they also will have to pay the RM10,000 fee for the permit they receive.
The new fee was announced by Miti in October after unveiling the National Automotive Policy last October following complaints that APs, among other abuses, were being sold to third parties rather than being used to develop bumiputera vehicle import entrepreneurs.
It remains to be seen how this move fits into Miti's October announcement that it would abolish the AP system for imports of completely-built-up vehicles, terminate open APs for used vehicles after 2015, and franchise APs (issued to dealers with distribution agreements with car companies) after 2020.
Commenting on the issue, PKR's Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin said while she welcomed the extension of the privilege to state assembly members, Miti's move has not settled the abuse of the AP system."State assemblypersons are given APs, fine, but this doesn't answer the issues of APs being given away to cronies and businessmen.
The whole system must be reviewed. How does this latest move fit into Miti's plans?" asked Zuraida when contacted.
news courtesy of Malaysiakini
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