MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat is most irresponsible in absconding overseas to avoid parliamentary accounting on the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, which will result in his absence from this week’s Cabinet meeting and inability to ensure that the Cabinet rectify the continuing injustice of SPM top scorers denied Public Service Department (PSD) overseas scholarships.
During question time in Parliament yesterday, I had read out an email complaint from a 2008 SPM top-scorer who is ranked No. 7 in a premier school in Johore Bahru, Tan Hao Chong, who scored 11A1 and 1A21 in Chinese, who was not even offered a PSD scholarship in local public universities.
I read out his email in Parliament, viz:
“Immediately after SPM, I attended a seminar organized by MCA Youth in Johor Bahru and was excited to hear the announcement by Dato’ Wee that 20% ie 400 out of 2000 scholarship will be awarded to students with good results regardless of race, economic background, CCA and interviews. Obviously , this was not done. We are disappointed with MCA for failing to give us justice.
“The head of JPA promised to publish the results of successful applicants and until now nothing was announced.”
In his email, Tan pointed out that out of the 800 appeals made through MCA, 250 were of straight A1s as tabulated below and only 69 cases were successful:
| No of A1 | No. of students |
| 15 | 1 |
| 14 | 1 |
| 13 | 9 |
| 12 | 64 |
| 11 | 110 |
| 9&10 | 65 |
Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, who was answering the question, had no consolation to the top-scorers in the country or any satisfactory answer to my question why the new Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s “1Malaysia” programme had not resulted in a revamp of PSD scholarship policy to introduce a “colour-blind” approach, at least for the 20% or 400 of the 2,000 PSD foreign scholarships reserved for “meritocracy”!
I later met Datuk Wee Ka Siong, the MCA Youth leader and now Deputy Education Minister mentioned by Tan at the Parliament lobbly, and he admitted that the injustice of the PSD scholarship selection this year is the worst in the nine years he had been handling such cases.
What then is Wee doing as Deputy Education Minister and why is Ong committing a gross dereliction of political responsibilities by absenting himself from this week’s Cabinet meeting, when it will be the last opportunity to do justice to the SPM top-scorers by ensuring that all the top scorers with 9As are given PSD scholarships?
Nobody can accept the argument that the government has no money for scholarships for the best and brightest of our students when RM12.5 billion could be embroiled in the PKFZ scandal – which could give scholarships to 125,000 students at RM100,000 each!
My three questions (No.55 to No. 57 on the 19th day in the current series) to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat on the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal today are:
No. 1. – When I went to Port Klang Authority (PKA) on May 28 for copies of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report on PKFZ, like MP for PJ Utara, Tony Pua and Selangor State Exco Ronnie Liu, we were made to sign acknowledgement of the conditions under which the report was given to us.
These conditions still apply, as all who want to download the PwC report from the PKFZ website, http://www.pkfznews.com.my/download-pka-report, are required to confirm acceptance of these conditions, one of which states:
“3) You are not authorised to use or rely on the Report to arrive at any conclusion.”
Can Ong explain this ridiculous condition that no one is “authorised to use or reply on the (PwC) Report to arrive at any conclusion” which flies in the face of accountability, transparency and good governance.
If the PwC report cannot be relied upon by anyone “to use or rely on…to arrive at any conclusion”, the PwC report is utterly useless. Then why did Ong direct the PKA Chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng to submit copies to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) and the PAC, if not just as a cynical PR (public relations) exercise?
Why did Ong rely on the PwC report to set up a Task Force and two committees as a follow-up action on the PwC report?
MPs are still waiting for copies of the PwC report and appendices, Will MPs be required to sign acknowledgement of such silly conditions before copies are distributed in Parliament?
Question No.2 – I have received emails expressing skepticism that the Committee on Corporate Governance on PKFZ headed by Paul Low, Transparency International (TI) President, would be able to probe and get into the bottom of the RM2.5 billion PKFZ scandal, on the ground that Paul Low is a MCA life member and former Chairman of MCA think-tank, the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (INSAP) during the time of Liong Sik as MCA Chairman.
I am prepared to give Paul Low a chance to prove that he “walks the talk” on integrity as TI President.
My question to Ong is whether his choice of Paul Low as Chairman of Corporate Governance was in any way influenced by Paul Low’s MCA past, and what guarantees he can give that Paul Low will be given full powers to probe into all abuses of power, conflict-of-interest, malpractice and corruption resulting in the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal.
Question No. 3: I have today sent a letter to Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid, Chairman of PAC, asking him to disqualify himself and step down from the PAC inquiry into the PKFZ.
My letter reads:
“17th June 2009
YB Datuk Seri Khalid Azmi,
Chairman,
Public Accounts Committee,
Parliament.YB Datuk Seri,
I am writing to ask YB to disqualify yourself and step down from the PAC inquiry into the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal because of conflict of interest as YB was a Cabinet Minister from 2004 to 2008, during which time the Cabinet took various decisions on this subject, including the retrospective approval of the four Letters of Support issued unlawfully by the two previous Transport Ministers Datuk Seri (now Tun) Dr. Ling Liong Sik and Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy as well as the Cabinet approval of RM4.6 billion loan to bail out the PKFZ project in 2007.
YB should be a witness before the PAC inquiry into the PKFZ scandal instead of conducting a PAC inquiry into the PKFZ.
Principles of credibility, legitimacy and integrity of PAC demand that YB take this course of action.
Yours truly,
(Lim Kit Siang)
DAP Parliamentary Leader
MP for Ipoh Timor”
Does Ong agree that Azmi should disqualify himself and step down from the PAC inquiry into the PKFZ because of conflict of interest, and that the PAC Deputy Chairman Dr. Tan Seng Giaw conduct the inquiry?
#1 by k1980 on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 11:35 am
“You are not authorised to use or rely on the PwC Report to arrive at any conclusion.”
This is because the contents of that report is hogwash that has been sexed-up.
#2 by TomThumb on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 11:39 am
“You are not authorised to use or rely on the Report to arrive at any conclusion.”
i have never seen anything this stupid.
#3 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 11:46 am
What hopeless leadership the MCA has – its President went into hiding to avoid being grilled in Parliament!
#4 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 11:54 am
Needless to say much about injustice, BN is definitely down and out, LKY is preparing for the worst case scenario that BN is kicked out completely and PR or alternative without PAS to take over the Federal Govt in the next GE!!! LKY already tested the water by asking Tok Guru’s view on Singapore if PR came into power!!! LKY asked because he forsee the possibility of PR coming into power!!!
#5 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 12:01 pm
The conditions are set out to protect PwC & PKA’s front, back, top, bottom, left and right and some people in Batam also said in the middle!!! Dont play play with these people as they are telling you up front dont believe what they said in the report as it is a piece of junk!!!
#6 by a-malaysian on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 12:04 pm
\The federal government is proud to announce that RM1,000 will be given to every individual whose earning is less than RM1,000 per month. Only one condition: You are not authorized to use the money given.\
Do not be surprised over the above statement, it can happen just like the condition imposed on the PKFZ report. Remember we are Malaysia BOLEH.
Malaysia For All
GE 13 – No matter what, we must ensure that racist umno bn do not regain the power like they had for over the past fifty one years.
#7 by k1980 on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 12:10 pm
The government is proud to announce that all non-bumis will be granted bumi status today. Only one condition: “You are not authorised to use that bumi status at any time.”
The government is proud to announce that PSD scholarships will be given to all SPM students today. Only one condition: “You are not authorised to use that scholarship at any time.”
#8 by sotong on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 12:17 pm
Racism is about power!
We are all caretakers of this land/earth that nobody owns!
#9 by -ec- on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 1:30 pm
congratulations Malaysia: we finally made it to the blacklist of human trafficking, together with zimbabwe, myanmar, sudan and north korea. malaysia really boleh.
***
otk shall resign the cabinet post and the MP if he fails to discharge his responsibility and accountability. shame on voters of pandan. free food, free drink and hot chic show could really work on you. shame!
***
otk is on the run: that reminds me of bala and his infamous statutory declaration and statutory ‘un’declaration. ooooi, where is bala?
#10 by sheriff singh on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 1:31 pm
“I later met Datuk Wee Ka Siong, the MCA Youth leader and now Deputy Education Minister mentioned by Tan at the Parliament lobbly, and he admitted that the injustice of the PSD scholarship selection this year is the worst in the nine years he had been handling such cases.”
This can mean a few things:
1. There is “injustice” he says, but he cannot do anything about it. So who is doing this “injustice” and how has it come about?
The injustice is the “worst in nine years”. Man, this tells alot about the shenanigans that goes on regularly in the Ministry. Is the civil service full of “little Napoleons”? Koh Tsu Koon the class monitor of KPIs, what the heck are you doing?
2. If the Deputy Minister who says he is “handling the case” cannot intervene to correct this injustice, then this indicates their lack of power in the government. We are not asking for much but for justice but I suppose puppets have no power of their own but would have to depend on puppet masters to pull the strings. So take what MCA says with a gunny sack full of salt. They can’t deliver.
So much for transparancy, accountability and integrity.
#11 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 1:32 pm
“You are not authorised to use or rely on the Report to arrive at any conclusion.”
To whom is this disclaimer of PricewaterhouseCoopers (‘PWC’) directed – their client Port Klang Authority or 3rd parties/public assessing to their report via PKFZ website?
You may want to also ask PWC that if one cannot use or rely on the PWC Report to arrive at any conclusion, then precisely what is the Report to be used or relied upon for?
#12 by YK Leong on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 1:36 pm
You are not authorised to use or rely on the poll in Ong Ta Kut’s blog “SHOULD MCA LEAVE BN” to arrive at any conclusion.
#13 by House Victim on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 1:38 pm
YB, your letter to SKA is too diplomatic!!
—————————————-
You should ask him to resign or be suspended with the ignorance of approving
1.the Four Letters issued by MOT for the Guarantee of 3.685billion of PDS. As under PAA, the letter should be issued by MOF.
2. the 4.632billion of Soft-Loan
Both had never been fully approved with details and proper procedures.
Shouldn’t all these be approved by the Parliament instead of the Cabinet?
Does the Cabinet has any powder of approving the Soft-Loan when the Project was not even fully approved?
Once again,
Should PAC do any auditing on Budgets or Accounts which had not been fully or properly approved?
It is not a matter of Accounting but MISAPPROPRIATION OF POWER in approving – A Fraud Approval, isn’t it?
Is there a Committee or similar set-up in Parliament to see that Proper Procedures to be followed? That one should come in, if exists!!
#14 by shortie kiasu on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 2:26 pm
Every body in this country is sick to the bone of all these scandals and complaints on scholarships awards.
Who can save this country now?
#15 by Godfather on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 2:29 pm
The next instalment of funds to be paid by PKA to KDSB is June 30th. Can someone (perhaps a taxpayer) make sure that an injunction is served on PKA against making this payment as there are prima facie irregularities involved in the execution of the development agreement ? We can’t trust PKA to withhold payments even though the minister has entrusted Skrine & Co to review the agreements.
#16 by rabbit on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 2:40 pm
you are not authorised to use or…..
Well try not to put the blame on 1 person. we must to know who is the controler? why he can leave just like that? tot this is an urgent for all malaysian!!! so.. try to guess who can ask him to oversea n hide the report. funny thing is, cant just they put him online while meeting is on? beside this what does deputy must do? seems like he is not just hide the report but the human also can. i am sosympety to MCA… they are a barbie doll for some one.
#17 by donplaypuks on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 2:58 pm
YB
The Star reports today of Nazri announcing in Parliament that 68% of ‘merit’ scholarships or 417 (out of total of 2,100 scholarships) in number were awarded to non-Bumis. This is once again selective statistics and window dressing to try and pull the wool over our eyes!
Ask and hound him persistently for the complete statistics and analysis for all schoalrships, awards and places in colleges and Unis – local and overseas – given out by PSD, Petronas, PNB, Telekom, Tenaga, UEM, MAS and all other Govt – State and Federal -, Stat Bodies, GLC’s and even Unis themselves (for post graduate studies) for the last 3 years. We don’t want the stats for just the SPM students.
The we’ll see what the real picture is and whether Ministers’ policy statements made in Parliament have been followed by the Hitlers and Naploeans in the Civil Service or hiajcked in defiance (or in collusion with UMNO and its Minsiters) for their own agenda.
Don’t let the Nazri’s of this world fool us with sly tactics and shallow intentions. We were not born yesterday. Remember the
time he denied in Parliament he had specifically approved 15,000 taxi licences, and then admitted the actual figure was about 12,000? That’s the kind of semantics game these scurillous BN MP’s are bound to play to try and save their hides.
And while you are at it, you might ask Nazri whether the India Ink purportedly bought for GE 2008 has by now been sold or is still lying around in the EC’ stores. If sold, at what price, to whom and at what loss to the Taxpayer. Thye have gone suspiciously silent on this issue of $2.4 million which was raised in Parliament last year.
#18 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 3:24 pm
Govt had never said got no money for Supreme Race, it has got no money only for begger race!!! Got It!!!
Go by the Nazi party aka UMNO definition of Supreme Race, there are many categories, the top are the President and his family and kuncu2, followed by Deputy President and his family and kuncu2, Supreme Council members and their families and kuncu2, last but not least, the ordinary member and their families!!! The SS of the Nazi Party!!!
As for MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP dan lain lain – they are associate members of the Nazi party, help the Nazi party to suppress any sign of discontentment and help to collect information for the use
of the master Fuhrer!!!
#19 by the reds on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 3:35 pm
1BlackMalaysia is hopeless! Even a deputy education minister is unable to help the bright student to secure the scholarship. What’s the point of keeping Wee as deputy minister? Perhaps he is only a menteri boneka?
#20 by -ec- on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 3:51 pm
on Human Trafficking:
\It is unfair to put us back on the list as we are doing our best,\ Deputy Home Minister Abu Seman Yusop
The Home Ministry’s best is not good enough. Where is KTK?
Hishammuddin has failed nr’s ‘performance now’. i just wonder what KTK is going to do? perhaps begging for performance, over a whisper. :P
#21 by wesuffer on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 4:10 pm
PKR AND DAP never proposed unity government with umno or BN.
What happened with PAS? now ask umno to included PKR and DAP for unity talk. why want to drag pkr and dap into evil land ?
now its seem PAS is open heart to joining umno.
PAS is totally betray voter who vote for PR last GE.
#22 by taiking on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 4:19 pm
You know Dory? That silly and forgetful blue fish in Finding Nemo? Now that is what the line means.
“You are not authorised to use or rely on the Report to arrive at any conclusion.” In other words you are just to look at the report and after that you are to erase whatever bits of the report that remain in your eyes or in your mind fully and completely.
Now I might as well say “Najib killed altantuya” and then add that you fellas “are not authorised to use or rely on this statement to arrive at any conclusion.”
WTF man! Then again its not a bad way for us to make statements and then qualify it the OTK way.
#23 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 4:53 pm
Read my lips “Never Trust PAS” !!! PR would be better off without PAS!!!
#24 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 5:03 pm
UMNO is buying insurance by getting PAS into its fold, just in case MCA or other parties are leaving it for good!!!
Some of them (UMNO) want to use you (PAS), some of them (PAS)want to be abused!!! Sounds familiar.
PAS would be very very happy as long as they could carry out chopping hands and legs and UMNO would be very very happy if they could continue to print money in their own backyark!!!
#25 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 5:08 pm
What is the word Nazri without the word “r” ??? What do you expect from someone whose name tells it all!!! Aiyoyo!!!
#26 by kontiki on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 5:21 pm
Clearly Ong Tee Keat’s move to abscond to Paris during the current sitting of parliament to escape bashing from PR Mps had been planned a long time ago. He would be given the beating of his life if he had been around, and even if the Speaker were to step in and help in, OTK would still be heavily bruised and battered. OTK hopes that when he returns, the heat of the PKFZ would have subsided and he could carry on as usual. LKS, DAP and PKR, PAS should continue to sustain this controversy, and if possible dig up others as well. MCA/BN all work on the premise that people have short memories and will forget everything. Let’s show them that we will keep these issues alive always!
#27 by limkamput on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 5:42 pm
“3) You are not authorised to use or rely on the Report to arrive at any conclusion.”
It means PwC is not sure whatever stated in the report is true or otherwise. It also means it is a sheer waste of money to ask consultants to do study after study. I repeat, just follow the damn money. Where the money had come from and where did it go? Just ask whoever who authorize the payment to explain why the money was paid. Did they not see overpricing or fault there? Just ask those who received the money to account for the work done. Did they over charge or bill for job not done or half done or not properly done?
In case the dumb dumb and the hypocrites think it could be due to negligence or incompetence, I could only say negligent or incompetent people are not stupid people. They are usually shrewd and cunning people. They cheat and squander but plead ignorance or incompetence.
May I also ask why only Sdr Lim and DAP is shouting dry on this issue? What are PAS and PKR doing? Are they not concerned with financial/prudential management? Everyday just talk about righteousness, unity, suppressing women rights while the country goes to the dog. Are these their pre-occupation?
Finally, to the MODERATOR, may I ask why I was given warning in almost every thread? What did I do? Did I use foul words like one half-baked FELLOW here? If you do not appreciate me COMING HERE anymore, just let me know here. I promise to keep myself away.
#28 by TomThumb on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 6:02 pm
“I am writing to ask YB to disqualify yourself and step down from the PAC inquiry into the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal because of conflict of interest …”
is he as dumb as someone calling himself nincompoop not to know that he’s in a conflict of interest position? we don’t need to answer that question. we already know the answer.
it is like you facing a case of unlawful dismissal having to file your appeal to a board chaired by the same very person who is the cause of your affliction. the course of justice doesn’t get more perverted than that.
#29 by limkamput on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 7:39 pm
A DUMB DUMB is always talking about the same thing. That is the problem with a dumb dumb. The rules of natural justice forbid a person from hearing a case if he is a interested party. dumb.
#30 by ktteokt on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 8:30 pm
Show them that DAP mean business and LKS has the brains of an elephant – with long memories!
#31 by monsterball on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 9:06 pm
Read my lips….PAS will never play out DAP or keDAILan.
PR guys dare to be open..have no secrets..say out openly….which UMNO is not used to be open…always secretive meetings….and we get the wrong conclusions.
You see..PAS loves to team up with DAP…and now added strength with keDAILan.
You think PAS will allow few fanatics to upset their mission to defend Muslims….from UMNO devils?
You think the race is more important than the religion?
And Islam does not belong to one race…except in Malaysia.
You think it is so easy to change 53 years of dirty politics….stay stagnant….ever move forward at all…to sincerely unit all Malaysians……….keep supporting out-dated Constitution rights…even keep amending to strengthen race and religion dirty politics……just to win Malay votes…by UMNO?
You try and correct all these mind controls and feeding with false hopes doctrines….by UMNO..totally against Allah’s commands.
#32 by TomThumb on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 11:14 pm
condition is a lame attempt to excuse negligence and fraud.
#33 by ekans on Wednesday, 17 June 2009 - 11:58 pm
The existence of ridiculous disclaimers/conditions on PwC’s PKFZ report only serves to increase suspicion that this report is some sort of a smokescreen to relieve pressure on & buy more time for the transport minister & the others involved to spindoctor their way out of this mess which threatens to engulf them.
And then there’s another minister who’s been giving unsatisfactory roundabout answers to try and wiggle his way out from the PSD scholarships issue.
Looks like more and more spindoctoring in action…
#34 by fanle on Thursday, 18 June 2009 - 5:57 am
YB Lim Kit Siang, can you help my daughter? Like Tan Hao Chong, She also scored 11A1 and 1A2 in SPM.She applied for JPA and was rejected after appeal.She was not even offered for local institutions and matric . She also active in co-curricular activities. Datuk Wee Ka Siong can’t help her. He just say sorry!
#35 by ktteokt on Thursday, 18 June 2009 - 8:43 am
Carry on running OTK, but just how far and how long can you do that? Better still join our space tourist on his next flight to NOWHERE and remain there in perpetuity!!!!!! Then you don’t have to answer to anyone.
#36 by taiking on Thursday, 18 June 2009 - 9:26 am
“You are not authorised to use or rely on the Report to arrive at any conclusion.”
So we cannot draw conclusions from the Report huh. But why? Is it a useless and therefore unrealiable Report? Hey Hey Hey. Something is fishy here!
So tell me. How much you guys pay pricewaterhouse to produce this useless and unreliable report? Huh? 100m no? 200m. Tell me. Yeah better still tell us.
#37 by Kasim Amat on Thursday, 18 June 2009 - 12:51 pm
It is most ridiculous and unbridled that Lim Kit Siang uploaded the PWC report on his blog for everyone to download! This is against the investigation and condition that the report should not be made public because it is totally private and confidential. I urge him to remove the report immediately or he will face stern action from the police! We are not joking.
#38 by ekans on Thursday, 18 June 2009 - 1:57 pm
On 18 June 2009 at 12:51.13, Kasim Amat said:
It is most ridiculous and unbridled that Lim Kit Siang uploaded the PWC report on his blog for everyone to download! This is against the investigation and condition that the report should not be made public because it is totally private and confidential. I urge him to remove the report immediately or he will face stern action from the police! We are not joking.
The taxpaying public citizens of Malaysia have the right to know about what had happened to their hard-earned tax ringgits in this PKFZ scandal, and the existence of ridiculous disclaimers/restrictions/terms and conditions that help prohibit free access to important information from PwC’s PKFZ report is an insult to the people’s intelligence and a sick joke.
#39 by TomThumb on Thursday, 18 June 2009 - 8:55 pm
people’s intelligence?? didn’t they elect this government into power?