Abdul Hamid Ibrahim, chairman of the Association of Malay Vehicle Importers and Traders of Malaysia has called for tighter rules to curb abuses by some favoured individuals who receive the so-called Approved Permits, or APs, to import cars.

He however stressed that these permits are still needed to aid the Malays as '... without it we can't survive' .

His statement is the very reason why these excesses should be stopped because under the pretext of affirmative action and helping the Malays, only the rich Malays with right connections get richer.

Not only that, his statement that 'without it we can't survive' reflects a protected mindset. It says: 'I don't need to be competitive, I don't need to be creative, I don't need to be entrepreneurial; I got AP!'

This is wealth without the substance, doing without the being and business without the value.

Why is there a need to hide the names of those awarded APs? Why not publish the names just to prove Dr Mahathir Mohamad wrong.