Will Mahathir or any of his Ministers in 2002 Cabinet testify in court of being misled by Ling to approve Port Klang Authority’s purchase of PKFZ land with 15-year repayment with compound interest instead of 10 years?


The charge preferred against former MCA President and Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik, in connection with the RM12.5 million Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal has mystified many.

The charge against Ling reads:

“That you, between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002, at Level 4 of the Prime Minister’s Office in Bangunan Perdana Putra, cheated the Govern ment by deceiving the Cabinet into approving a land purchase in Pulau Indah for a Mega Distribution Hub project in Port Klang according to the terms agreed between Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd and Port Klang Authority which, among others, are:

  1. the size of the land being 999.5 acres or 43,538,200 sq ft

  2. the purchase price for the land being RM25 per sq ft amounting to a total of RM1,088,456,000

  3. the repayment period being based on a “deferred payment” of 15 years with an interest rate of 7.5% per annum (total RM720,014,600), and thereby dishonestly hiding the fact that the valuation by the Valuation and Property Service Department on the land was RM25 per sq ft for a repayment period of 10 years or RM25.82 per sq ft for a repayment period of 15 years, including coupon/interest that could be charged for the repayment period.

And as such, you purposely induced the Cabinet to give its consent to the purchase, whereas the Cabinet would not have given its consent if the fact had been told to the Cabinet, and the fraud was committed with the knowledge that you could cause a loss to the Government, where you have an interest in the transaction pertaining to the fraud and you are bound under the law to protect it and, as such, you have committed an offence punishable under Section 418 of the Penal Code.”

The Prime Minister at the time was Tun Dr. Mahathir. Will Mahathir or any of his Ministers in 2002 Cabinet testify in court of being misled by Ling to approve Port Klang Authority’s purchase of PKFZ land with 15-year repayment with compound interest instead of 10 years?

Who were the Ministers in the 2002 Cabinet? The Deputy Prime Minister was Tun Abdullah. Other Ministers in the 2002 Cabinet who are still Ministers include Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was Defence Minister; Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who was Minister for Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs; Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein who was then Minister for Youth and Sports; Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz who was then Entrepreneur Development Minister; Datuk Seri Rais Yatim and Tan Sri Bernard Dompok who were then Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Other Ministers of the 2002 Cabinet no more in Cabinet include Rafidah Aziz (International Trade and Industry); present Public Account Committee Chairman Azmi Khalid (Rural Development); three MCA Ministers at the time, Chua Jui Meng (Health), Fong Chan Onn (Human Resources), Ong Ka Ting (Housing and Local Government), Lim Keng Yaik (Primary Industries), S. Samy Vellu (Works) and Law Hieng Ding (Science, Technology, Environment).

Will Mahathir or any of his Ministers in 2002 Cabinet testify in court of being misled by Ling to approve Port Klang Authority’s purchase of PKFZ land with 15-year repayment with compound interest instead of 10 years?

As far back as three years ago in Parliament, during the budget debate in September 2007, I had focused on the main issues of the PKFZ scandal, viz:

  • Port Klang Authority (PKA) purchase of RM1,000 acres of Pulau Indah land from Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd. for PKFZ at RM25 psf when Treasury and Attorney-General’s Chambers have proposed acquisition under Land Acquisition Act at RM10 psf.

  • The ballooning of the PKFZ cost from RM1.1 billion to RM4.6 billion and its development costs from RM400 million to RM2.8 billion.

  • The four illegal “letters of support” by Transport Ministers Ling Liong Sik and Chan Kong Choy for the RM4.6 billion bonds issued by KDSB through special purpose vehicles.

These issues have not been adequately dealt with despite the promise by the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail last December and the country is still waiting for the Attorney-General to fulfil his pledge to leave no stone unturned to haul in the “big fishes” implicated in the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal.

  1. #1 by Godfather on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 1:57 pm

    The truth of the matter is that no one bothers to read cabinet papers. They are prepared by low ranking officers, and are rubber-stamped all the way up to the KSU. So let’s figure out the chain of command and charge everyone involved in the preparation of this particular cabinet paper.

    The culture during Mamakthir’s time was “you help me, I help you”. You don’t give problems to my ministry’s paper, and I won’t give problems to your ministry’s paper. So when the entire cabinet is called to testify at Ling’s trial, the answer will not be very different from those given at the Lingam inquest – “bukan gua bikin, gua tak tahu”.

  2. #2 by Bigjoe on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:05 pm

    GOOD POINT! How does AG knows Cabinet was misled if they have never asked Mahathir and other Cabinet members at that time?? Did they get classified minutes of meetings of Cabinet? Because facts don’t matter, only the hiburan matter which is basically Najib’s administration – the Hiburan PM, the Apco-PM, the spin-doctor PM..

  3. #3 by k1980 on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:05 pm

    seize and auction off his family’s assets and should that be not enough, order the RM12.5 billion be repaid by the mca’s 100,000 members—that is to say get each and every mca bum to pay RM12,500. Before you can say ‘1malaysia’ , every Ah Kow and Ah Lan has resigned from the mca with immediate effect.

  4. #4 by limkamput on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:28 pm

    What happened to that mamak king, i thought he is the smartest person on earth, only the jews and hedge fund can cheat him.

  5. #5 by SENGLANG on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:30 pm

    Please do not expect a fair trail until PR take over.

    Justice is not walk in the palace of justice, justice must be seen to be done and not just by lip stick service and not just talk and argue using flowering words.

  6. #6 by Dap man on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:34 pm

    In Malaysia the trial does not matter. The evidence does not matter.

    We should ask why was he charged?

    What are the ‘political motives’ of this charade? To punish the guilty or to merely appease the
    voters cry for blood. Or a charade with an eye on winning the next general elections.

    Why a former MCA leader when countless UMNO leaders are laughing their way to foreign banks with our money.

  7. #7 by yhsiew on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:36 pm

    How can people “in the same boat” give witness to do harm to each other?

  8. #8 by limkamput on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:39 pm

    Port Klang Authority (PKA) purchase of RM1,000 acres of Pulau Indah land from Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd. for PKFZ at RM25 psf //

    First question we should ask is how did Kuala Dimensi sdn bhd come to own this piece of land? When did the company buy this piece of land and for how much per sq foot? Or rather, when was this piece of land alienated to Kuala Dimensi from the state govt?

  9. #9 by katdog on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:41 pm

    Ronnie Liu, Ronnie Liu. What shall DAP do with you? Your name has emerged several times now linked to certain ‘questionable’ activities.

    You spent your allocations in record time supposedly giving handouts to certain organizations no doubt trying to curry favor and goodwill (in the style of MCA).

    Oh what to do with Ronnie Liu.

  10. #10 by SENGLANG on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:43 pm

    How can this mamakthir can be misled, he is not as sleepy as pak lah. it can not be most likely the whole cabinet has misled the whole malaysian.

    It was true that this can of worm will not despite being exposed long -long time, be opened with out the 308 political tsunami.

    we have know long-long time ago when sun paper start its stories in this ghost project.

    this project has never been intended to be a project to benefits the people

    this project was from the very beginning well planned and well structured to milk the tax payers moneys for political usage

    that not doubts about but again the truth can never come be reveal

    we must understand that this mamak not only is the master of all trade he also master of all crooks who can convince all his ministers to structured a toxic scheme to cheat all Malaysian tax payers moneys

    that no doubt about it but with the grand master still around the truth will never come

    despite yesterday huha huha.

    the most it was another show put up by the top guns at the expense of again tax payers moneys

    you ask for it so they play to what you want to see and off course you have to pay for it

    the only thing that may benefit people now it stop the payment of the bond due to KDSB now

    but that was exactly the opposite

    now look, this was the reason ONG has lost and the king -kong come to the rescue

    this king kong is just another political tool use by bn to further milking tax payer money for their cronies

  11. #11 by k1980 on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:55 pm

    Take a look at the past and present leaders of that political party claiming to represent the chinese— a jailbird, a freeloader, a porn actor and now a swindler……

  12. #12 by Loh on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 2:56 pm

    There is no case for Ling Leong Sik to answer because the Minister of Finance whose ministry issued the approval of a certain price for the land had been overruled by the Finance Minister sitting in the Cabinet, with Mamakthir who was concurrently the Finance Minister approved the purchase of land at an inflated price of about 680 million ringgit. The issue before the court is whether the approval by the Secretary General of the Finance Ministry could be challenged by the Finance Minister. If the FM had the final authority to decide on the price of the land, who is the Transport Minister to remind the PM that his Finance Ministry had decided non a lower price for the land. It should be assumed that the Finance Minister is responsible for the decision of his Ministry, and LLS certainly cannot be held responsible for reminding Mamakthir what the Finance Ministry had decided on the matter. For all we know it was Mamakthir who asked LLS to propose the price. At 25 ringgit a sq. foot for repayment period of 15 years, it was lower than the Finance Ministry’s suggestion of 25.82, a saving of 82 cent a square feet or 36.7 million ringgit, though the government was made to pay 720 million ringgit in interest. LLS let the government save some money and lose much more. He might be guilty of allowing government to cause a net loss of money, but he might plead that as a medical doctor he was not able to count, quite similar to a history graduate of the 1970s who said that he did not know English, in Australian court.

    MACC should check on the alienation of the state land by the Selangor state government to the Fisheries cooperative society, and why should the society be allowed to sell the land to a private company, for profit?

  13. #13 by k1980 on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 3:03 pm

    Ling Long Sick is today up to his neck in hot water because he was too stingy to pay RM70 million to APCO to whitewash his misdeeds and turn him into an angel.

  14. #14 by Loh on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 3:12 pm

    ///Port Klang Authority (PKA) purchase of RM1,000 acres of Pulau Indah land from Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd. for PKFZ at RM25 psf when Treasury and Attorney-General’s Chambers have proposed acquisition under Land Acquisition Act at RM10 psf.///

    The AG should charge the Finance Minister under the same acts, 418 and 417 for ignoring the opportunity availed of the Land Acquisition Act to acquire the land at 10 ringgit per sq. feet. The Finance Minister Mamakthir has made the country lose 650 million in land price and 720 million in interest, totaling 1.270 billion ringgit. Why did MACC not investigate Mamakthir but charging LLS instead?

  15. #15 by rahmanwang on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 3:30 pm

    Actually Tun Ling looked very frail.
    Maybe the government cut a “deal” with him knowing Tun Ling will die soon.He is the “fall guy”.In fact the whole cabinet ministers are all asleep or all of them have a share in this.

  16. #16 by Winston on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 3:49 pm

    All this talk of trials are just a lot of jazz. To fool the electorate and win their confidence.
    Wait till PR wins the next GE and we’ll see real trials!!
    So, give your whole hearted support to the PR!!!

  17. #17 by boh-liao on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 3:52 pm

    Q 2 ask is: How many of d ministers at dat time had their big fat palms inside d easy juicy cookie jar?
    Lu jiak, wah jiak, semua orang jiak, jiak, jiak; ho jiak, jiak pah pah, kam siah

  18. #18 by Peter on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 4:02 pm

    This is only one of the big sharks, perhaps a sacrificial one just to please the rakyat. From day one, i can sense this so called MCA president look like a crook. When he was in his prime as President, his son, only in his twenties nearly become a BILLIONAIRE. How amazing indeed. It does not take 1
    +1=2 to understand the whole corrupted practices.Meanwhile, i also have the gut feeling this big white shark will go scoot free, ultimately, by the present bunch of judges in our so called tainted “judiciary”. No evidence, no documentary proof etc…. case “tuptup” as usual.Happily, he will enjoy his billions….
    Remember also, there are still plenty of big sharks involved in this PKFZ fiasco out there, now protected either by UMNO/BN or the super duper powerful tycoons. One typical example is that mamak kutty and his sons.

  19. #19 by dagen on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 4:41 pm

    whoooa whooa whoa.

    The charge says that ling cheated the umno gobermen over the purchase of the pkfz land by deception.

    Now that is a core issue in the pkfz scandal. Looks like umno meant business this time huh. Or will this be another thunder that brings no rain?

    We all know that ling could not have acted alone in the deception. He is being made a scapegoat here, pure and simple. So you see johorean chinese. See what umno is doing to your hero. What is mca’s reaction to this? Their ex-president of nearly 20yrs is being sacrificed by umno to protect umno’s rear and what have got to say to this? Nothing. It will be between nothing and a very very muted response. It is time to dump them. Yes dump mca completely come GE13.

  20. #20 by omeqiu on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 4:56 pm

    That makes Tun Ling the smartest guy in the Cabinet. The rest are fools! Wah!

  21. #21 by limkamput on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 6:42 pm

    I still maintain that many, including those in the finance community, from bond deal makers, arrangers, investors to rating agencies are as culpable as those in MOT, Port Klang Authority, the Finance Ministry, and the Cabinet.

    The Cabinet casually and cursorily examined the PKFZ project even though the amount involved was so gigantic. They must be either sleeping or they did not know the difference between million and billion. Surely our smartest PM in history should know how to count.

    Then we have the Rating agency who readily gave a “good” rating on these bonds on basis of one lousy letter of support from MOT. I don’t believe they were that dumb and careless.

    Then we have the Finance Ministry who readily accepted responsibility for the government on the basis of one lousy letter of support issued by MOT. Where are the fiduciary duty and the Financial Procedure Act of the Finance Ministry?

    Then we have the bond deal makers and arrangers readily accepted one lousy letter of support from MOT and started to market the bonds. Then what about savvy bond investors readily accepted these bonds as a “good buy” again based on one lousy letter of support from MOT.

    Then we have AG interpreted very quickly the letter of support issued by MOT was good and therefore these bonds must be honoured even the sky has come down.

    Then we have the government of the day who eagerly ordered payment be made to bondholders despite the pending court cases and ambiguities.

    If this is not a conspiracy to fraud, we need to find another definition of the word conspiracy. I think everybody is taking the money and run like hell.

  22. #22 by monsterball on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 6:55 pm

    Charge the ring leader?
    All he needs to say….’I forgot” to all questions and he is proven innocent again.
    UMNO B members will run away…if mamak is arrested.
    Najib on leave up to 10th August….one day before Ling was arrested.
    You try to analyze….you will go crazy….so better drink and be merry and let those clowns perform….to confuse and divert our attentions.

  23. #23 by c730427 on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 7:48 pm

    1. what about Badawi sold out our RM100 bil oil fields to Brunei?

    2. The murder case of Altantuya?

    3. The missing jet engine?

  24. #24 by dawsheng on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 8:22 pm

    Whatever it is, Ling deserves it.

  25. #25 by dawsheng on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 8:32 pm

    If Ling is found guilty it means the whole of MCA is guilty. Therefore, I suggest MCA members call for a dissolution of the party.

  26. #26 by lopez on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 9:10 pm

    sorry lah, ,this fello just the scape goat and shame not only you but all in the m see hair club.

    Now really no hair, this can be very stressful you know, so before he goes, better get him donate all those money to all chinese in bolihland regardless m see hair member or not.
    At least , this way if called a pendatang , there is worth in it.

    so maybe now you can feel slightly how non m see hair people feel, while you go in and out without paying tows , enjoy preferential immunity and other privileges and yes that and yes that to your masters.

  27. #27 by frankyapp on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 9:23 pm

    Most of these sharks are just like Ling,some may be even worst but are still swimming in the sea freely. Just catching a big one proves nothing as at the end of the day this one will be free and the rest will always remain free. The so-called hunter( Macc) will go on hunting but everyone can be rest assure it will never be able to catch the mother of all sharks. In such a case,it’s just wishing thinking if any ordinary citizen wanted it to happen.

  28. #28 by yhsiew on Friday, 30 July 2010 - 11:58 pm

    It is unconvincing that nobody in the Cabinet except Ling Liong Sik knew about the true value of the land. I believe that some in the Cabinet knew but preferred to keep quiet in order to receive their rewards.

  29. #29 by waterfrontcoolie on Saturday, 31 July 2010 - 12:02 am

    When the Gomen needed to”expand” Senai, they just grabbed the surrounding land and paid $2/ per sqft? a major portion of the PKFZ land was originally given to some cooperative with Onn Ismail as advisor. I just wonder how much was the cooperative paid? $6/ had been quoted, it means $19 per sqft was the spread on 999 acres! Surely Fatty couldnot sapu all! Of course, when CKC took over he had to ‘develop’ the land. Well, with some $3.4 B, this spread was even bigger, hence the ultra hatre for the sleepyhead by the Master magician who was out-played and out flanked just with 4 short years of reign! and this had not included the oil field to Brunei. Well if it is made open BN’s days are surely numbered, hence all the verbal attacks , indeed out of sheer frustration to a man who always prided himself as a MASTER DOER! This sandiwara is so badly directed that the average Malaysians especially those who are not particularly aligned to any party will surely decide by now. LLS is charged, PKA’s Board not only refused to pay but had made a police report to ask the contractor to return some of the money paid and you have MCA asking the caretaker Minister to order the Board to pay. What a joke? By paying PKA will have to admit that they would automatically lose their legal case and be askd to pay for costs plus ” air muka”!! Is the GOMEN FOR REAL? what kind of fools they take Malaysians to be?? and indeed if Malaysians obliged BN again, then Malaysians deserved to crawl around!!

  30. #30 by Cinapek on Saturday, 31 July 2010 - 1:16 am

    This whole trial is a charade. The BN Govt knows that it has the crucial Sarawak elections coming up soon and maybe the GE soon after that.

    They know PR will capitalise on such issues during the election campaigning and after the Sibu loss, Taib’s image problems and the Penan issues, they are not taking any chances . A bad election outcome in Sarawak could spark a trend leading up to the GE13. By pretending to charge Tun Ling, they hope to drag the case (which they often do with contentious cases) so that they can claim during elections that they are going after ythe big fish too. But the moment the elections are over you can bet they will manipulate it in such a way that they will “lose” the case.

    I watch with amusement the act put on by the top UMNO and MCA leaders claiming they were “shocked” when they heard Ling was charged. What a load of rubbish. UMNO and MCA knows too well the full implication of the trial if it were to be genuinely pursued. This alone would be enough for them to insist to be alerted.

  31. #31 by pulau_sibu on Saturday, 31 July 2010 - 9:18 am

    Ling Liong Sik can be charged and why not Taib Mahmud? Don’t try to act only after the guy mati

  32. #32 by House Victim on Saturday, 31 July 2010 - 10:36 am

    1. The charge quoted herein is incomplete without the facts of the land before and during the discussion and approval of the project and the amount of damages so caused.

    PLEASE PROVIDE THE WHOLE STATEMENT OF CHARGE.

    2. From the PWC-Report,
    “2.3
    In 1993, the Government decided to transform Port Klang into a national load centre as well as a regional transshipment hub. Several strategies were outlined in the Seventh Malaysia Plan (1996-2000) leading to the creation of the Port Klang Free Zone.

    The Malaysian Cabinet approved the Project in March 1999.

    2.11 According to the Hansard, there were differing views on the mode of acquisition of the Land, namely compulsory acquisition as against outright purchase. The Hansard mentioned that the Cabinet had deliberated on the differing views and decided that, in the best interest of the country and to avoid any complication, the Land be purchased outright.

    3. The Chronological Chart (P.9) shows:
    24 Mar 1999: Cabinet approves the Project on
    condition that agreement of MOF is obtained on the funding structure

    On-going discussions between MOT, MOF &
    PKA on acquisition mode, land valuation and
    funding structure

    12 June 2001:
    MOF directs that the Land should be compulsorily acquired and recommends
    development cost be funded by PKA issuing
    Government guaranteed bonds

    27 June 2001:
    Memorandum of Understanding signed
    between JAFZI and PKA

    12 Dec 2001:
    Board considers option of direct purchase for the acquisition of the Land

    Oct/Nov 2002:
    Cabinet considers options of compulsory acquisition and direct purchase for acquiring land. Approves direct purchase on deferred payment terms and on the basis that the Project will be self-financing.

    etc..
    ============================
    As such, what had LLS misled the Cabinet?
    ============================

    4. Under the Port Authority Act, the detailed proposal has to be prepared by the PKA to MOT and then to be approved by the Cabinet (Assuming the overall project should have been approved by the Parliament which was not revealed in the PWC-Report!!).

    5. According to the PWC-Report, the project had been inflated by the land value, Interest Rates and the cost of the project with “internal” assigned agents for Fund Raising without following MOF stipulation, etc.. where MOT, MOF and PKA are the main defaulters.

    6. When the inflation of land is acted, which is far from complete with Facts and Issues, why are the inflation of Interest and others are not acted??
    The land and development cost has risen from 1.957 B in 1999 to 3.522B in 2008.
    The Inflation of Interest of 3.931B up to 2008 and further interest cost of 5billion to follow. (when MOF stipulation was not followed!!)
    =============================
    7. What has AG done on the PWC-Report?
    8. What has happened to the missing information mentioned in the Report?
    9. What has MACC done to those documents in their hands?
    =============================
    If AG can manipulate the case as such, what can People expect?
    Justice already DEAD before going to Court!!

    A WASTE OF TAX-PAYER MONEY TO SEE JOKES AFTER JOKES!!

  33. #33 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 31 July 2010 - 10:42 am

    According to the MalaysianInsider’s report by Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, Adib Zalkapli and Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani July 31, 2010 under caption “Pakatan defends PAC’s probe into Ling’s role in PKFZ”:-

    · Tun Dr Sunny Ling was not even the transport minister when PKFZ concept was first being developed;

    · Former transport secretary Zaharah Shaari said that contrary to original Cabiinet’s inclination to buy land outright from KDSB, Dr Ling had agreed with Treasury Secretary General that the PKFZ land ought to be acquired under Land Acqusition Act at lower price of RM10 per sq ft instead of RM25 from KDSB, and thus had taken the issue back to Cabinet & then PM Mahathir. [Zaharah Shaari said, “The Cabinet then decided to acquire the land but when the central agency did not agree and gave its views, the Cabinet, if I am not mistaken, told the ministry to delay its decision to buy the land directly from Kuala Dimensi (KDSB) until a different decision was made. “I think after that the Cabinet agreed to its original decision to buy the land. I think based on that final decision, the ministry went ahead to allow PKA (Port Klang Authority) to purchase the land on that decision,” she added].

    Generally Ministers’ decisions (whether collectively at cabinet level or individually) made in good faith enjoy immunity from prosecution…To show bad faith of any Minister is not easy.

    From what former transport secretary Zaharah Shaari said, I don’t know whether it was a case of Dr Ling influencing and cheating the Cabinet or the Cabinty led by TDM influencing Dr Ling! So far there is no suggestion from any quarters or evidence Dr Ling has personal financial interest in PKFZ.

    As far as I know – such a case of an allegation that a cabinet minister misleads the entire cabinet to make wrong collective decision resulting in prosecution is unprecedented in the world (Malaysia Boleh)!

    Sure there were cabinet ministers sacked and prosecuted for offences of sorts as no one is above the law. Last month Kenyan President Kibaki suspended Assistant Minister for Roads Wilfred Machage who was charged for incitement. Closer to home DPM Anwar was sacked by Dr Mahathir and later charged for sodomy I. These Cabinet Ministers were always charged for some offence they allegedly committed that is extraneous and not linked to the collective cabinet decision made wrongly! Dr Ling’s case is first ever for misleading/duping the cabinet, and cabinet’s naivette and gullibility is not a defence!

    It sets a world precedent of sorts and implications. It suggests, for example, that a PM allied with the Home and Law Minister can put away any rival Cabinet Minister not allied to him politically as “:misleading & cheating cabinet” whenever a government/cabinet decision gets a thumb down or outcry from the public! The precedent gives extra edge to intra-political rivalry and infighting at cabinet level! It sets a precedent for the British government to hold Tony Blair for misleading the cabinet on presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and taking Britain to war against Saddam Hussein at British tax payers expense!

  34. #34 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 31 July 2010 - 10:56 am

    I therefore maintain that this unprecedented using of Tun Dr Ling as showcase is a sure sign of implosion of the ruling party that in the face of popular dischantment against it – where it knows it cannot fight the tide of history going against it in the polls – have tried to use all kinds of unorthodox methods to resolve two inevitable developments associated with implosion and unravelling, ie (1) rising public anger and disenchantment and (2) intensified intra party rivalry of players trying to oust one another to gain top positions so as to enjoy the last hurrah fast before the curtain falls down on the whole group.

    Because of the need to serve objectives (1) and (2) it becomes necessary to resort to unorthodox and unprecedented methods of using an ex Transport Minister and ex President of component party as “sacrificial whale” to accomplish objective No. (1) and through prosecution induce the sacrificial whale to implicate other rivals in power play to accomplish objective No. (2)!

  35. #35 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 31 July 2010 - 11:08 am

    The point on (2) – intensified intra party rivalry of players trying to oust one another to gain top positions so as to enjoy the last hurrah fast before the curtain falls down on the whole group – is borned out by political rivalries, open or subterranean intensified power struggles within all 3 main component parties of BN (UMNO, MCA & MIC) of late after 308 tsunami.

    One has patient and does not rally support to oust ones’ rival or boss within party powerr heirarchy IF theres plenty of time to wait for one’s turn assuming one’s ruling coalition will be returned to power, time and again until the next Millenium.

    But if one perceives time is at the end – at the most, the general elections after next if not the next one itself – what does one do?

    Plot and get rid of your boss, as soon as possible, quickly get to the apex position, harvest and chow before the Curtain falls and the Grand Opportunity ends for good. No time already! To wait for the next round may take another 50 years way beyond one’s life. I’d think like that if I were a member of the ruling clique!

  36. #36 by ReformMalaysia on Saturday, 31 July 2010 - 4:09 pm

    “……“That you, between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002, at Level 4 of the Prime Minister’s Office in Bangunan Perdana Putra, cheated the Govern ment by deceiving the Cabinet into approving a land purchase in Pulau Indah for a Mega Distribution Hub project in Port Klang according to the terms agreed between Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd and Port Klang Authority which, among others, are…….” -the charge against Dr Ling L S

    How could the cabinet be so easily “deceived” by the then transport minister? Are they really competent to be appointed to their respective posts? And was Dr Mahathir(who was supposed to be very “competent” )-the head of the cabinet at that time too could be so easily misled by his subordinate? That was involving multi-billion of the people money….. how can the just rubber stamp the approval without doing their homework?

    It is really as simple as being “deceived” by a minister?

  37. #37 by ringthetill on Sunday, 1 August 2010 - 7:05 am

    I will believe all this sandiwara play when those who have abused power and trust are brought to justice, irrespective of, seniority, status, and honorific.
    That will be the proof that we have turned the corner!!!

  38. #38 by Loh on Sunday, 1 August 2010 - 2:26 pm

    ///Former transport secretary Zaharah Shaari said that contrary to original Cabiinet’s inclination to buy land outright from KDSB, Dr Ling had agreed with Treasury Secretary General that the PKFZ land ought to be acquired under Land Acqusition Act at lower price of RM10 per sq ft instead of RM25 from KDSB, and thus had taken the issue back to Cabinet & then PM Mahathir.///

    Mamakthir should be charged for wasting public funds when the Cabinet chose to pay 25 ringgit per sq ft rather than 10, and a saving of 600 million ringgit for the state. Nothing can be too troublesome to take on when they was a way to save 60% of the land cost. Mamakthir was only benefiting thye land owner in making government to pay one and a half time more in price for the land. Had the government gone down the route of acquiring the land based on Land Acquisition Act at 10 ringgit a sq ft, the country PKFZ would have saved 600 million in land cost and 700 million in interest.

    Why has Mamakthir not been charged for making the country lose 1.3 billion for misleading the nation?

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