RAFIDAH DALAM KEPANASAN

Menurut laporan BERNAMA mesyuarat kabinet semalam mengarahkan agar Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Rafidah Aziz, memberikan jawaban kepada semua isu yang dibangkitkan oleh penasihat Proton, Tun Dr Mahathir berkenaan polisi otomatif kerajaan.

Mahathir telah antara lain membangkitkan isu berkenaan:

Kereta-kereta dari Korea Selatan yang diimpot dan diselewengkan harga sebenarnya semasa di bawa masuk (under declare) sejak beliau PM lagi. Ketika beliau PM harga masuk sebuah kereta jenis ini adalah RM11,000 sedangkan kos mengilang siap sebuah Proton adalah sekitar RM14,000.

Pemberian AP (permit impot kenderaan) yang terlalu berleluasa sehinga menjejaskan pasaran kereta tempatan. Tahun 2004 sahaja 67,000 AP dikeluarkan dengan cuma 12,600 diberikan kepada 82 syarikat manakala 54,400 diberikan kepada 20 syarikat terpilih.

Keputusan membenarkan kereta yang memiliki cuma 40 peratus bahan tempatan sebagai layak untuk status kereta nasional bertaraf bebas cukai untuk pasaran AFTA itu sebenarnya bukan keputusan kabinet.



Anehnya isu-isu yang dibangkitkan ini datangnya dari seorang bekas PM, bekas boss Rafidah. Malah semasa bekas PM ini mengumumkan perletakkan jawatannya pada tahun 2002 dahulu Rafidahlah antara yang pertama melompat menerpa rostrum dimana beliau sedang berucap merayu, meraung di depan khalayak ramai, ditonton oleh seluruh negara:

Why,why?

Aneh juga melihat reaksi PM yang ada, seolah-olah tidak hands on ataupun prihatin ataupun termaklum tentang apa yang berlaku disekeliling beliau selaku PM. Reaksi beliau jarang didengar dari bekas-bekas PM sebelum ini yang biasanya mempertahankan anggota kabinetnya. Sebagaimana dilaporkan oleh BERNAMA:

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi memberitahu pemberita di sini Khamis bahawa Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri itu perlu mejawab kerana isu-isu itu adalah berkenaan kementerian beliau.

Kesimpulannya apa pun, Rafidah kini berada dalam kepanasan. Baru minggu lalu Isa Samad hilang segala-galanya. Mungkinkah kini giliran Rafidah pula?

RAFIDAH IN HOT SOUP

According to BERNAMA the cabinet meeting yesterday has directed MITI minister Rafidah Aziz to reply to all the issues raised by Tun Dr Mahathir pertaining to the government's automotive policy .

Mahathir had among other raised issues pertaining to:

The importation and under declaration of South Korean cars since his PM days. According to him the landed cost for such a car was RM11,000 whereas the manufacturing cost for a Proton RM14,000.

The excessive issuance of APs that jeopardizes the national car market. In 2004 alone 67,000 Aps were issued, of which only 12,600 were given to 82 companies, whilst 54,000 were awarded to 20 selected companies.

The decision for a car to have 40 percent local content to qualify as a national product for duty-free access into the AFTA market was actually not taken by the cabinet.

Its amusing to notice that these issues were actually sensationalized by the former PM, Rafidahs ex boss. Infact when the former PM announced his intention to quit in 2002 it was Rafidah who first jumped from her seat towards the rostrum pleading and crying in full view of the public and broadcasted nationwide crying out:

Why,why?

And equally amusing is the PMs reaction on this issue, he looks as though he has no hands on control towards events happening around him. His first reaction is something never heard off coming from previous PMs who would normally stand behind their cabinet members. As reported by BERNAMA :

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told reporters here Thursday that the Minister of International Trade and Industry had to reply because the issues concerned her ministry.

Whatever it may be, Rafidah is definetly immersed in hot soup. Just last week Isa Samad lost everything. Would Rafidah be next?