Thursday August 4, 2005
Rafidah skips Cabinet meeting, flies off to Perth
BY WONG CHUN WAI
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz skipped the Cabinet meeting yesterday where she was expected to explain further to ministers the controversy over the allocation of Approved Permits for car imports.
The International Trade and Industry Minister was supposed to attend the meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, as the Prime Minister was on leave and had gone to Los Angeles to see his wife.
It is understood that Najib had instructed the 61-year-old politician to attend the meeting where she was also expected to brief the Cabinet on the National Car Policy, besides the AP issue.
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Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz |
The Wanita Umno chairman’s absence from the Cabinet meeting sparked off fresh speculation over her political future in the wake of strong criticism from Umno delegates at the recent party general assembly where she was booed and heckled.
Just before the assembly, the AP list for 2005 was released. Of the 67,000 APs issued, more than 28,000 went to four individuals – Tan Sri Nasimuddin S.M. Amin, Datuk Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim, Datuk Mohd Haniff Abdul Aziz and Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad.
The Prime Minister’s Office then released the list for 2004 which showed that the same companies that
received the most APs this year were also the biggest beneficiaries.
Yesterday, sources said the Cabinet also objected to a plan by Rafidah to issue an 18-page explanation on the AP issue to the media, as the ministers felt it was not appropriate.
“The consensus of the Cabinet members was that she should explain the matter to us first before releasing it to the press. That is the right thing to do,” said a source.
It is learnt that Rafidah was advised to provide the details in written form to ensure that the public was properly informed instead of making verbal replies to reporters at press conferences.
The media were given an indication yesterday morning that the 18-page statement would be faxed to them.
But following her absence from the Cabinet meeting, her aides were directed to scrap the plan to issue the statement.
Meanwhile, Rafidah’s aides said she went home at noon and later left for the airport to catch a flight to Perth, adding that the minister would be away for one week.
Rafidah, who has held the International Trade and Industry Minister's post for 16 years, is expected to show up for next week’s Cabinet meeting which would be chaired by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Related story:
Hisham: Rafidah must respond
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