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Tee Keat questions Tiong’s credibility
by Giam Say Khoon
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA Break Fast 7.19pm
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president
TERENGGANU Imsak (tomorrow) 5.35am Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat yesterday
questioned the credibility of Kuala
KOTA BARU Break Fast 7.23pm Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) chief ex-
ecutive officer Datuk Seri Tiong King
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.42am
Sing, saying he does not qualify to
ask for someone’s bank account to
IPOH Break Fast 7.26pm be investigated.
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.43am Speaking to reporters after launch-
ing the Wanita MCA’s women and
PETALING JAYA Break Fast 7.24pm children aid bureau and counselling
/SHAH ALAM room, Ong added that Tiong can say
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.42am
whatever he likes but “I feel what is
important is that justice and truth will
KUALA LUMPUR Break Fast 7.24pm be upheld” but not through publicity
/PUTRAJAYA Imsak (tomorrow) 5.42am by Tiong.
On Friday, Tiong, who is also the
SEREMBAN Break Fast 7.21pm Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.42am
PKA board finds more
MALACCA Break Fast 7.20pm
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.41am discrepancies
by R. Nadeswaran
JOHOR BARU Break Fast 7.13pm
citizen-nades@thesundaily.com
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.35am
PETALING JAYA: More skeletons are
KUCHING Break Fast 6.48pm coming out of the closet. After four
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.11am independent reports from four dif-
ferent groups and agencies, the Port
Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) saga has taken
KOTA KINABALU Break Fast 6.27pm
yet another twist, another startling
Imsak (tomorrow) 4.42am revelation from an hawk-eyed board
www.islam.gov.my/portal/puasa.php member which has landed on the
desks of his fellow board of directors.
While time, effort and money
were spent to prepare these reports,
the present board of directors of
Port Klang Authority (PKA) have dis-
covered to their dismay that other
projects were approved before their
very noses or behind their backs, de-
pending on which way and by whom
it is viewed.
While the directors have been
cracking their heads as to how to
get back returns from the RM90
million which had been budgeted
for the four-star hotel, RM16 million
was approved for a car park and
other ancillary activities without their
knowledge or consent.
The approval was given to the
developers – Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd
– to build ancillary facilities to the un-
completed four-star hotel within the
zone. The board has since discovered
other discrepancies (since it assumed
office last June) and is said to be
pursuing these relentlessly and have
asked the management to provide
documentation for all the projects
since it took office.
According to those knowledgeable
on the issue, work on the hotel came
theSun
chairman, urged the Malaysian Anti-
Corruption Commission (MACC) to
investigate the bank accounts of Ong
and his wife following his allegation
that he had given a RM10 million
“loan” to Ong last year.
Tiong made the allegation two
weeks ago after KDSB, the turnkey
developer for the controversial RM4.9
billion Port Klang Free Zone project,
was alleged to have been involved
in irregularities of between RM500
million and RM1 billion in a report by
the PKFZ special task force.
Ong had also said he will file a suit
against Tiong today following Tiong’s
refusal to withdraw his allegation.
Asked if he has also been sum-
moned by the MACC, after it said it
would call party treasurer-general Tan
Sri Tee Hock Seng today, Ong said he
to light when one of the directors
noted construction was in progress
at the hotel and immediately ordered
the PKA staff to peruse documents
related to the project. It was estab-
lished that approval had been given
by the previous general manager,
T.S. Lim, but had not been approved
by the board. (Lim resigned abruptly
after the PricewaterhouseCoopers
audit report was made public.)
In an immediate response, Lim
said he had communicated every-
thing to the board and “everything is
above board”.
“It is budgeted for,” he said. “The
local freight forwarding fraternity
was planning to organise its annual
conference and wanted the hotel to
cater to their needs. Car park facilities
were needed to cater to the large
number of guests. Without the car
park, the hotel could not be used.”
This and at least two other similar
approvals are being investigated by
the board. PKA chairman Datuk Lee
Hwa Beng confirmed investigations
are being carried out.
The hotel is part of the scandal-
ridden PKFZ project and was said to
have been built to cater to the “needs
of foreigners who have to visit the
area on business”.
It is outside the restricted zone of
the PKFZ. The cost of the hotel is yet
another contentious issue as PKA’s
quantity surveyors confirmed that it
should only be RM54 million instead
of the RM90 million claimed by the
contractor.
» See also Pages 7 & 10
PR leaders not seeing eye
to eye, says Najib
PEKAN: Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul
Razak said yesterday the
lack of understanding among
Pakatan Rakyat leaders was
getting more obvious in
states administered by the
coalition.
He cited the decision of
Lunas state assemblyman
Mohd Radzhi Salleh to quit
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)
and be an independent in
the Kedah state assembly
as the latest indication of
the Pakatan leaders not
seeing eye to eye on many
matters.
Mohd Radzhi said yes-
terday he was quitting PKR
to become an independent
after having lost confidence
in the party leadership and
in keeping with the decision
of the Padang Serai PKR
division to dissolve.
| MONDAY AUGUST 24 2009
has not been summoned although “They were well aware what had
the party is aware of Tee’s call-up. happened on Aug 18 and it was a
In addition to Tee’s meeting with unanimous decision, made after
the MACC, it was learned the agency deliberations and amendments, and
has obtained a copy of a donors list, that included the deputy president as
which records all the donations made well, meaning I was not the one who
to the party. made the statement,” he said.
Asked if the party actually keeps “It was witnessed by everybody at
a donors list, Ong said it will not be the central committee meeting.”
able to stop anyone from spreading On Tuesday, party secretary-gener-
rumours and he insisted that “in the al Datuk Wong Foon Meng said that as
end, the truth will prevail”. a party, it would not like to intervene
On the objection by deputy but when an accusation had been
president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek made and the MCA was linked to the
over the party being dragged into the RM10 million “loan”, it has to make a
“personal conflict” between Ong and stand and make a clarification.
Tiong, he said all the central com- Wong also said the CC at the
mittee (CC) members who attended meeting unanimously supported the
a committee meeting last week, call by Ong, who is also the transport
including Chua, had agreed to make minister, for a transparent investiga-
it a “party matter”. tion into the PKFZ scandal.
ZULKIFLI ERSAL/THESUN
Pasar of delights ... One of the biggest and most
well-known in the country, the Ramadan bazaar on Jalan Tuanku
Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur teems with visitors yesterday.
From Saturday, Muslims and non-Muslims alike will be spoilt for
choice with various gastronomic delights available for the 30
days of Ramadan. A feature that will mark this year’s bazaars
will be the flu masks, as Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad
Ismail has advised traders and patrons to wear them to curb the
spread of Influenza A(H1N1).
“The Kedah (Pakatan) to respect his decision as an
government is still in power elected representative,” he
but the loss of an executive said.
councillor raises many Asked whether there
questions about the integrity would be allegations that
of the state government,” Umno had orchestrated the
Najib said after presenting decision, Najib said Umno
dividends to participants could expect that but in this
of the Risda new cluster case it was the elected rep-
planting and commercial resentative’s own decision
replanting programmes to quit.
here. “The latest case is one
He was asked to com- incidence of the lack of un-
ment on the decision by derstanding in the Pakatan
Mohd Radzhi to quit PKR, governments in only one
along with Padang Serai year of administration,” he
PKR division acting chief said.
Jamaludin Abu Hassan and Asked whether the lat-
about 200 members of the est incident could have a
division. positive effect on Barisan
“I have yet to see the full Nasional’s chances in the
statement but he has made Permatang Pasir state by-
the decision to quit on his election in Penang tomor-
own free will without being row, he said: “Wait and see.
influenced by any quarters, The people have to evaluate
including Umno. We have the matter themselves.”