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a report should be tabled as soon as
reasonably possible,” adding it would
probably meet after Hari Raya Puasa.
He stressed the government was not
taking the matter out of the jurisdiction
of the Transport Ministry or trying to
minimise the role of Transport Minister
Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.
“The ministry will be part of the task
force and the report that the ministry
Kong Choy may sue
over PKFZ scandal
KUALA LUMPUR: Former transport
minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy
may sue several media organisa-
tions for publishing reports which
implicated him in the Port Klang Free
Zone (PKFZ) scandal. Chan, who is
currently abroad, has instructed his
lawyer to look into the matter.
“Tan Sri (Chan Kong Choy) is
very upset with the unverified news
reports,” a source close to Chan told
Bernama yesterday.
“We believe the intention of such
reports is to create a rift between
Tan Sri (Chan) and MCA president
Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat so that
supporters of Tan Sri (Chan) in the
(MCA) party will be angry. This is an
attempt to turn away support from
Ong,” the source claimed.
Some news organisations had
published stories citing a confidential
report by a government-appointed
task force probing the PKFZ scandal
which identified serious breaches
by several people involved in PKFZ’s
development.
More patrols at sea
during Raya
KUANTAN: The Malaysian Maritime
Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will
intensify the security patrols at
several hot spots in the national
waters identified as the main
entry points for illegal immigrants
throughout the festive season.
MMEA director-general
Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd
Amdan Kurish said that over the
next two weeks, the hot spots
were expected to be deluged
with illegal immigrants hoping
to enter the country before Hari
Raya.
He said 2,300 MMEA person-
nel would be deployed through-
out the festive season this year
as compared to 1,700 last year.
– Bernama
‘Govt not trying to minimise role of transport minister’
has done will be considered by the task
force.
“But because this is bigger than
the purview of the ministry, it is only
appropriate that the chief secretary be
tasked to chair the task force. And this is
to underscore the government’s serious-
ness in this matter,” he said.
When asked if Ong’s role has been
‘Requests for allocations
fast-tracked for elections’
by Maria J.Dass
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SHAH ALAM: Applications for alloca-
tions by Selangor state assemblymen
were fast-tracked for approval due to
the 2008 general election, the Select
Committee on Competency, Account-
ability and Transparency (Selcat)
panel heard yesterday.
Klang district officer Bakthiar
Hussein, in his testimony to the five-
member Selcat panel, claimed the
money was released to ensure that it
could be used to “create an impact on
the rakyat”.
Bakthiar, assistant district officer
Sulaiman Abdul Rahman, chief clerk
Ali Abdullah and assistant accountant
Ismail Hussin were questioned about
how more than RM4 million worth of
annual allocation for use by assem-
blymen in constituencies within the
Klang district was used up within the
first two months of 2008.
The officers frequently came un-
der fire from Selcat chairman Teng
Chang Khim for their contradictory
answers.
Bakthiar claimed applications for
allocations were fast-tracked for ap-
proval due to the general elections,
“as the money was needed to pay for
small development projects and com-
munity programmes.
“We needed to release the money
to ensure that it would be used to cre-
ate an impact on the rakyat,” he said.
Teng: How was one year’s alloca-
tion spent in one-and-a-half months?
minimised, he said: “No. Why should I?
We are together. We are in the same
government. Don’t try to split.”
Asked if Ong himself would be in the
task force, he said: “No, (only) the repre-
sentatives of the ministry. Don’t split, this
is a government, we all stand together.”
On the alleged misconduct within
PKFZ, he said it will be closely studied
Bakthiar: This allocation is to be
used for community programmes,
small projects and in extraordinary
circumstances like when there is a
general election. As administrators,
we adapt to the situation and ensure
that the expenditure is spent accord-
ing to regulations set by the state
government that will also monitor the
spending.
Teng: But do you think it is pru-
dent to spend an entire year’s
allocation so much so when
the new state administration
took office there was noth-
ing left. This is the rakyat’s
money that is being spent.
Bakthiar: My job is to fol-
low the circular issued.
He also said that it is a
norm for additional alloca-
tions to be approved by the
state for assemblymen to
spend in their constituencies
and that the vouchers issued
for payment and signed on
Feb 13 were for projects
and programmes already
implemented.
Teng: “Does it make
sense to you that 171 projects
and programmes were im-
plemented in one constitu-
ency from Jan 1 to Feb 13?”
However, the district officer did not
give a satisfactory response, prompt-
ing Teng to say: “Don’t dig your own
grave, I will give you some time to sort
this out” and adjourned the hearing
for a few minutes.
theSun
on the kinds of misconduct, the parties
responsible and whether there were
more to it than just breaching the rules.
He said the study would involve
everyone responsible.
When suggested that the govern-
ment’s decision would complement the
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s
(MACC) investigation on PKFZ, he said
This is the second Selcat hearing
and is targeted at examining the
expenditure of assemblymen in the
state from January 2008 to June 2009
and to determine how more than
RM2.7 million was spent within the
first three months of 2008 by 54 Ba-
risan Nasional assemblymen, many
of whom lost their seats in the March
2008 general elections.
In his testimony, Ali said the offic-
ers in the district office were involved
directly with preparations for the 2008
general elections and that during that
time, there was a surge in applications
for allocations from assemblymen.
“We worked up till midnight to
process this by the end of Feb 13,” he
| THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10 2009
they were separate matters.
“The MACC is looking at some of
the reports they have received. And the
police also were looking at the reports
they received. Those investigations will
continue,” he added.
On whether the terms of reference
for the task force would be publicised, he
said the members know what to do.
Bakthiar
said, adding that an application is ap-
proved as soon as it is received from
an assemblyman unless the claim
does not fulfil the necessary criteria.
But when questioned why applica-
tions continued to be processed even
after parliament and state assemblies
were dissolved, the clerk claimed they
(the staff) may not have been aware.
Teng: But you just said that you
were up until midnight on Feb 13 to
process the claims for the elections.
Fellow Selcat panelist Haniza
Mohamed Talha also asked Ali: “You
also just said that you (officers in the
district office) were involved directly
with the elections, so how come now
you are saying that you may not have
known?”
Teng: Please don’t tell me fairy
tales. I remind you that you are under
oath and if you are wrong and we
prove it you will be in trouble.
Ali then chose to end his testimony
and switched off his mike, prompting
Teng to ask if there was an instruction
to process the payments.
Bakthiar, in reply, said there was no
instruction to process the payments,
but “it was an understanding”.
Later, speaking to reporters in his
office, a visibly upset Teng hit out at
the officers. “They are in a position
to stop abuse and misuse of funds by
assemblymen – from whichever party
they are from,” he said. “But today’s
witnesses seemed to have adapted
the ‘I only follow orders’ attitude,” he
added. The hearing began on Tuesday
and will continue until Sept 15.