By Shannon Teoh
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — DAP is claiming that a combination of disclaimers will block anyone from being brought to book over the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.
Its parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang questioned the effectiveness of Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat's instructions that the report on the industrial zone, which began as a RM2 billion project, be submitted to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The Ipoh Timur MP cited a clause in the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report which states that "you are not authorised to use or rely on the report to arrive at any conclusion."
"Then why did Ong direct the Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng to submit copies to the MACC and PAC, if not just as a cynical publicity exercise?
"Why did Ong rely on the report to set up a task force and two committees as follow-up action on the report?" he asked.
The three teams were set up last week to offer recommendations on how to proceed with the PKFZ controversy with the task force given two months to recommend any action to be taken by the government.
Charles Santiago (DAP-Klang) also added that the report specifically states that "no investigation was conducted and PwC was not involved in uncovering any corruption or wrongdoing."
His question in Parliament to the Prime Minister's Department on whether any action would be taken against those involved in the PKFZ scandal only resulted in a written reply stating that the task force would put forward any recommendations.
"The government is clearly saying that any wrongdoing has been forgiven and it is you and I who will bear the cost of this scandal," he said.
Lim also expressed his scepticism over the appointment of Datuk Paul Low, president of Transparency International Malaysia, to head a PKA committee on corporate governance.
"Low is an MCA life member and former chairman of an MCA think-tank when Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik was MCA president," he said, referring to the fact that Ling has also been linked to the scandal.
Ling had approved letters of guarantee that allowed PKFZ's turnkey developer Kuala Dimensi to raise billions in bonds under the guise of government-backed bonds.
However, such letters can only be issued by the Treasury and not the transport minister, as Ling had done when he held the Cabinet post.
Lim has also been calling for Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid to step down from as PAC chairman during its inquiry into the Port Klang issue.
He cited conflict of interest on Azmi's part as he was a Cabinet minister from 2004 to 2008, at which time the Cabinet made crucial decisions regarding PKFZ, including approval of guarantee letters such as those signed off by Ling.
Instead, Lim wants Tan Seng Giaw, who is deputy chairman for both DAP and PAC, to step in for him.
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Jikalau PI Bala boleh hilang, Altantuya & her cousin's immigration records boleh hilang, what is PKFZ !!!