Today, a website on the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, http://pkfz-scandal.org/ is launched as part of the effort to get to the bottom of the “scandal of scandals” in the nation’s history.

I am very disappointed with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) decision that its Chairman, Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid need not disqualify himself and step down from the PAC inquiry into the PKFZ scandal, despite a clear conflict of interest, as he was a Cabinet Minister from 2004 to 2008 when the Cabinet took many critical decisions resulting in the ballooning of the PKFZ scandal from RM1.1 billion in 2002 to RM4.6 billion in 2007 and now RM7.5 billion and heading towards the astronomical cost of RM12.5 billion.

I never suggested that Azmi has any personal interest in any PKFZ transaction but as a Minister involved in the decision-making process resulting in the PKFZ project becoming the “mother of all scandals”, he should be a witness appearing before the PAC to testify why he as a Minister had supported the Cabinet decision in July 2007 to bail out the PKFZ project at the astronomical cost of RM4.6 billion – when the Cabinet should know that it would mushroom further to RM7.5 billion and later RM12.5 billion instead of heading a PAC inquiry into it.

No wonder Azmi does not agree that the PAC should summon the two former Transport Ministers Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik and Datuk Seri Chong Kong Choy, as well as the former Port Klang Authority (PKA) Chairman and now Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung, to testify before the PAC – a clear case of Azmi protecting BN leaders!

It is clear that Azmi and all PAC members who supported him to head the inquiry into the PKFZ scandal just do not understand the meaning of accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.

This makes this website to get to the bottom of the PKFZ scandal even more more imperative, and all who have information about the PKFZ scandal are welcome to send them to this website, which is run by webmaster Goh Kheng Teong or to me.

My three questions (No.58 to No. 60 on the 20th 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. – A website, http://pkfz.blogspot.com/, has appeared which uploaded exchange of letters to show that on 10th May 2009, Ong had on 10th May 2008 as Transport Minister pressured the Prime Minister to approve RM1.2 billion payment as variation of costs for the PKFZ project to its turnkey developer, Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd and asked why this information was omitted in the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit report on the PKFZ.

Ong should explain whether it is true that he had on 10th May 2008 as Transport Minister pressured the Prime Minister to approve RM1.2 billion payment as variation of costs for the PKFZ project and confirm the two letters uploaded on this website.

No. 2 – This website also made a very serious allegation – that Datuk Lee Hwa Beng’s tenure as Port Klang Authority (PKA) Chairman ended on 15th February 2009 and that until today the Yang di Pertuan Agong had never given consent to extend or renew Lee’s term, and that Ong is asking the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to backdate Lee’s appointment. Is this true?

Question No. 3 – Ong has at last admitted on his blog yesterday that he has gone to France to attend the “prestigious” Paris Air Show “to meet up with my French counterpart”.

Couldn’t he send his Deputy Minister to the Paris Air Show? What is there so important about the Paris Air Show except as an excuse for a junket at taxpayers’ expense, when there is the important issue of proper parliamentary accounting by him on the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal?

If Ong’s attending the Paris Air Show is so honourable and above-board, why did he hide it from public knowledge instead of declaring publicly in advance that he was going for the Paris Air Show and would miss Parliament meeting and parliamentary accounting of the PKFZ scandal?

Is Ong prepared to submit to a public opinion poll as to whether he had acted responsiby in going off for a junket for the Paris Air Show instead of being in Parliament on the very first day to account for the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal?

In fact, there is no need for a national opinion poll. Just poll the MCA members and I have no doubt that the overwhelming majority of the ordinary MCA members or more than 90 per cent will agree that Ong was being utterly irresponsible in running away to the Paris Air Show instead of giving proper accounting of the PKFZ scandal in Parliament.

Of course, if the MCA Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and MPs are polled, 99 per cent will agree that Ong was right to go off for the Paris Air Show.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat rejected an emergency motion to have a royal commission of inquiry into the RM12.5bil Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, saying that the matter was not urgent.

Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, in his ruling, said the emergency motion filed by Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) under Order 18(1) fulfilled the criteria of being specific and of public interest.

However, he dismissed the application as the matter was not urgent, one of the three criteria required for an emergency motion to be debated in the House.

“A task force and two committees have already been set up to investigate PKFZ,” he said.

In his application, Lim said the Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) audit report was most “unsatisfactory” as its terms of reference were restricted to “a position review” instead of a wide-ranging inquiry into how the RM1.1bil project in 2002 had ballooned into a RM12.5bil project.

At a press conference in the Parliament Lobby on Monday, Lim said the PKFZ audit report and its appendices should be immediately tabled in Parliament and given to MPs without waiting for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report.

Lim said the PAC report would not be ready in time before the current sitting of Parliament ends on June 30.

He said this was because the PAC would only have its third meeting on the PKFZ on Wednesday.

“She (Parliament secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah) informed me that the PwC report and its appendices will be tabled in the House together with the PAC report,” he told the press.

Lim said it was “ridiculous” that the MPs had to wait for the PAC report, which would only be tabled at year’s end.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat is working on turning the PKFZ project around and there was no reason for him not to confront the issue, his political secretary Simon Lim said in a statement released Monday.

“The minister has been proactive and committed to making the project work,” he said in PETALING JAYA.

He refuted Lim Kit Siang’s claims that Ong was trying to “dodge the bullet” by running away from his ministerial or parliamentary duties, reports SHAUN HO.

Simon Lim said veteran politicians should not jump the gun by making baseless accusations and casting aspersions on the minister.

“He should give due respect to those who have honoured their promises and walked the talk.”

Simon Lim said the minister had been true to his stance on transparency and accountability by releasing the PwC audit report to the public and the PAC.

The minister had also instructed the Port Klang Authority (PKA) to establish a special task force comprising lawyers, accountants and quantity surveyors to look into the findings of the audit, he said.

The minister will be making a ministerial statement on the PKFZ in the Dewan Rakyat next Monday, June 22.

Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia ruled that the motion tabled by Lim Kit Siang (DAP – Ipoh Timur) was specific and of public interest but not urgent.

“A task force and two committees have been set up to investigate PKFZ,’’ the Speaker said.

Lim had said the Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) audit report was “most unsatisfactory” as its terms of reference were restricted to “a position review” instead of a wide-ranging inquiry.

At the Parliament lobby, Lim said the PKFZ audit report and its appendices should be immediately tabled in Parliament and given to MPs without waiting for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report.

Lim said the PAC report would not be ready in time before the current Parliament meeting ended on June 30.

This was because the PAC would only have its third meeting on the PKFZ on Wednesday, he said.

“She (Parliament secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah) informed me that the PwC report and its appendices will be tabled in the House together with the PAC report,” he added.

He said if DAP chose to help campaign for PAS’ candidate in Kuala Terengganu, then it would mean that the party supported public whipping, amputation and stoning for criminal offences under the hudud laws which PAS said it would implement if it came to power.

“Mere words objecting to PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa’s statement on the issue would not suffice if not backed by action,” Ong said in his blog (www.ongteekeat.net).

He chided DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang for calling on MCA not to campaign in the by-election over his (Ong) media conference regarding the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) on Sunday.

“I think this is Lim’s latest attempt to distract the public from one of the worst crises facing the Pakatan Rakyat following the controversial statement by Husam.

“Husam has only confirmed what the public has known about PAS’ intention all along – to set up an Islamic State and introduce hudud laws if it comes to power at the national level.

“We can now clearly see signs of discord in the eight-month-old Pakatan Rakyat, which was formed as a marriage of convenience, whose member parties have starkly different, if not opposing, ideologies,” he added.

Husam, in a debate with Umno Youth deputy head Khairy Jamaluddin on Saturday night had stated that hudud and qisas laws would have been implemented if Pakatan Rakyat had managed to take control of the federal government as planned on Sept 16.

Ong said the latest criticism from Lim merely showed that the DAP was terrified that MCA would win over the almost 9,000 Chinese voters in the constituency.

Chinese votes, he said, were the key to Barisan’s victory and MCA would not only work hard to win them over, but also help woo voters of other races.

Ong said the fact that Lim had issued two statements on the PKFZ in as many days only proved that the party was facing a dearth of issues for the by-election.

He noted that even Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had acknowledged that the PKFZ was a viable project.

Ong added that he had answered queries related to the PKFZ issue as early as last May in Parliament.

On the letters issued by his predecessors in the Transport Ministry, Ong said he wanted to repeat that they were not guarantee letters, but merely letters confirming that there was an agreement between Port Klang Authority and Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd.

He said PriceWaterhouse-Coopers (PWC) was finalising its audit on the corporate governance of PKFZ, among others.

“I have said that there will be no interference on my part or the Government and I stand by my words. It is unnecessary to jump the gun before the PWC report is released,” he said.

SELANGOR Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim yesterday defended the state’s desire to play a part in making the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) a success.

Khalid (PKR-Bandar Tun Razak) told the Dewan Rakyat that he had visited the free trade zone recently to check on the investments which had gone into it as well as the money spent on land purchase and construction work.

The PKFZ in Pulau Indah, located on a 400ha site and managed by Port Klang Free Zone Sdn Bhd (PKFZSB), has become an issue following the start-up cost of the facility which has ballooned to more than RM4 billion.

The area comes under the Port Klang Authority, which is under the auspices of the Transport Ministry and Minister of Finance Incorporated.

“I feel that the use of such a large amount of money will have a considerable impact on the state’s economy,” said Khalid.

He said the money spent on the construction and development of PKFZ could not be determined on a commercial basis alone.

He added that it was essential to take such a position as the returns on the investment in terms of construction and development could not be recouped for at least another 20 or 30 years.

“We do not want it to continue to be a burden,” he said adding that the Selangor government was willing to play its part in ensuring the PKFZ remained viable and turn it into a successful project.

Khalid explained the state’s position following a heated exchange between Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (BN-Bintulu) and Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) over the PKFZ.

“If it was no good, why was Selangor willing to buy it,” shouted Tiong at Lim.

He called on the former opposition leader to get his facts and understanding on the project right instead of continuously criticising it.

“It is self-financing … if you continuously condemn it … who will want to invest in it,” he said.

Earlier, Lim had demanded full government accountability and responsibility for the RM4.6 billion PKFZ project.

He questioned the project’s viability, history of alleged impropriety in land transactions, illegal issue of Letters of Support, Cabinet bailouts and retrospective ratification of illegal decisions by previous transport ministers.

Ketika memberi penjelasan kepada Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) membahaskan titah Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (PKR-Bandar Tun Razak) yang juga Menteri Besar Selangor, berkata beliau sudah melawat kawasan itu untuk meninjau pelaburan projek berkenaan dan wang dibelanjakan bagi membeli tanah dan pembinaan yang dilaksanakan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Kementerian Pengangkutan menafikan dakwaan pembangkang wujud penyelewengan dalam pelaksanaan Zon Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFZ) bernilai RM4.632 bilion, sekali gus ia projek yang gagal dan akan menjadi projek gajah putih.

Menterinya, Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, berkata PKFZ mendapat kelulusan kerajaan kerana ia projek nasional membabitkan penyediaan infrastruktur untuk membantu pertumbuhan kargo di Pelabuhan Klang.

Beliau berkata, seperti projek lain yang strategik dan besar, kerajaan akan memberi bantuan kewangan untuk pelaksanaan projek berkenaan.

“Begitu juga untuk PKFZ, kerajaan meluluskan pinjaman mudah untuk Lembaga Pelabuhan Klang (LPK). Sehubungan itu, adalah tidak benar ada penyelewengan dalam pelaksanaan projek berkenaan,” katanya dalam jawapan bertulis soalan Ketua Pembangkang, Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) pada persidangan Dewan Rakyat, di sini semalam.

Lim ingin tahu mengapa penyelewengan dan kos berlebihan projek itu tidak dipantau walaupun ada amaran daripada Jabatan Peguam Negara dan Ketua Audit Negara.

Chan berkata, walaupun PKFZ hanya memulakan operasi pada 1 November lalu, ia berjaya menarik 30 pelabur dengan nilai pelaburan RM725 juta dan menawarkan 809 peluang pekerjaan sehingga Ogos lalu.

“Oleh itu, dakwaan bahawa projek ini adalah satu kegagalan tidak benar kerana dalam tempoh singkat sudah berjaya menarik ramai pelabur,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, kos projek PKFZ dibahagikan kepada pembelian tanah dengan harga RM1.088 bilion dan apabila mengambil kira tempoh pembiayaan balik selama 15 tahun (bayaran tertangguh) pada kadar faedah 7.5 peratus, menjadikan kos keseluruhan pembelian tanah sebanyak RM1.807 bilion.

Kos ini, katanya, juga merangkumi kos kerja asas seperti penambakan tanah, perparitan, jalan dan jambatan, penyediaan lampu jalan dan kemudahan prasarana.