KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz has stressed there was no abuse in the issuance of Approved Permits (APs) to bring in imported cars as the decision on successful applications were made based in a transparent and objective manner.

In a written reply to Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), Rafidah said the distribution of APs was undertaken by two committees, i.e., the Main Committee chaired by herself and a Working Committee to Administer Import and Export Licenses chaired by the ministry's secretary-general.

The minister is currently leading a trade and investment mission to the United States.

She said there were five criteria, on which the APs were issued, including the companies having a valid franchise as the sole importer with foreign principals asl well as having at least 70 percent Bumiputera equity.

Others conditions were that the imported car should not have yet been assembled in the country; the cars were directly imported from the principal companies; and that the companies could afford to manage and finance showrooms and undertake after-sales-service.

Besides this, Rafidah said the jump in the number of APs issued in 2004 and 2005 were based on the annual allocation and the growth recorded by the company in terms of sales.

Allocations were also made to new companies which fulfilled the conditions such as franchise holders approved in the middle of the year but the entire year's allocation included in the current year, she said.

However, Rafidah said not all the APs allocated for a certain year were used to import vehicles in that year, citing that in 2004, imports totalled only 9.6 percent of the cars manufactured locally.

She also said that 4,500 APs for passenger cars were approved between 2000 and September 12 this year.

-- BERNAMA