“Show us the proof and I will make sure that I myself will ‘ketuk kepala’ (knock the heads) of those who abuse this AP,” he told reporters after the release of the Malaysia Investment Performance Report here today.

Leiking said all the new AP holders had been evaluated by internal and external auditors to ensure that they met the requirements set by the government.

Earlier this week, a portal alleged that there were negotiations between new and established AP holders to trade the APs for fees of between RM18,000 and RM22,000 each.

The portal claimed that this was due to the reduction of yearly quotas to established AP holders to accommodate the new AP holders that were not doing import business but merely selling their APs.

An open AP is an import permit facility given by the ministry to qualified Bumiputera companies to import reconditioned vehicles for sale in the domestic market.