UPDATED
By Lee Wei LianPUTRAJAYA, April 26 - Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has denied blocking the release of an investigation report into the scandal-plagued Port Klang Free Zone, saying its still classified and threatened suing a business weekly for its reporting.
The Transport Minister said today it was up to the Port Klang Authority (PKA) to release the report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
But he added he was considering submitting the PwC report to the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when it is released.
“There is one business weekly that had never approached me for any interview that deliberately painted me as a stumbling block to the release of such a report,” Ong told reporters but did not name the publication.
“This is tantamount to libel … then you have to bear full brunt of laws of the land,”
Ong said, adding that he would refer the matter to his legal advisors.
He reiterated that PKA should release the report which it had commissioned from PwC, adding the port authority had sought to declassify some documents from another ministry in order to make it public. It is understood that he was referring to documents from the Finance Ministry.
“I walk the talk, I mean it and I am going to do. It is grossly unfair for some of the snipers, including certain individuals of certain media, to pull wool over eyes of public by ignoring the fact that declassification has to be sought before we release the report.”
The Edge business weekly reported yesterday that the total cost of the PKFZ could top RM8 billion instead of RM4.6 billion as promised by former transport minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, due to higher than expected cost of funds.
It also urged for the PwC report to be released.
Ong declined to confirm or deny the allegations that the cost could be as high as RM8 billion, saying his ministry was just the regulator.
“Our friends from the media should know that, where the line is. Don’t just sit back and point accusing fingers without doing sufficient homework,” he said, questioning The Edge’s report that said the loan interest was 11.5 per cent.
The 405ha PKFZ transhipment hub, which has warehouses, office blocks and a four star hotel, has been dogged by controversy ever since it was revealed that it’s original development cost had ballooned from its original cost of less than RM2.5 billion to up to RM4.6 billion.
There were also questions about the possible kickbacks after it was disclosed that several individuals acquired the piece of land where the PKFZ now sits at RM3 per sq ft in 1999.
The PKA later acquired the land at RM25psf.The project ran into further problems when the management company Jebel Ali Free Zone International terminated its contract in 2007.
Chan was dropped as Barisan Nasional candidate for the general elections last year and subsequently lost his job largely due to the way the PKFZ debacle was handled.
Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang criticised Ong about the matter, calling him to come clean on the matter, which has dogged MCA leaders since Tun Ling Liong Sik.
In an entry on his personal blog yesterday, Lim accused Ong of having “evaded responsibility” earlier this month on the public release of the PwC report on the PKFZ, by saying that it now lies with the Port Klang Authority (PKA).
“There should be no more delay in the publication of the PWC report on the PKFZ and if Ong is not prepared to “tell all”, the Cabinet at its meeting next Wednesday should overrule Ong and direct the immediate public release of the full PWC report on the PKFZ, to honour the pledge of accountability, transparency and good governance given by Datuk Seri Najib Razak,” said Lim.
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I think the Jebel Ali investors must have a shock of their lives to find out what happened !!