When Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat appears before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry into the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal in Parliament tomorrow, he should clear the air whether he had given approval for the RM1.2 billion variation order by the PKFZ turnkey developer, Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd or he merely acted as postman of Port Klang Authority (PKA) to transmit the PKA approval to the Prime Minister for payment.
Ong had earlier confirmed the authenticity of his correspondence which appeared on Internet last month, showing that on 10th May 2008, he had written to the Prime Minister seeking approval for RM1.2 billion payment to KDSB as variation order for the PKFZ project.
In his initial response from Paris during his junket to France to escape parliamentary accountability and responsibility, Ong defended the letter saying that he was merely relaying the PKA board’s decision approving the RM1.2 billion variation order to the then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri (now Tun) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Ong said: “I was then into my ministerial job for less than two months and the PKA board’s decision was made even before my time. Besides, the PricewaterhouseCoopers had not even started their position review work.”
He added that the variation order was approved by the PKA board in 2008 and had written to him asking him to write to Abdullah to apply for the additional funding.
He noted that at that time PKA was also at risk of defaulting payment as the deadline to meet its financial obligations was approaching.
Ong’s was caught red-handed telling an untruth that he was merely acting as postman in forwarding PKA Board’s decision to the Prime Minister, as the contents of his May 10, 2008 letter was very clear in stating otherwise, as Ong wrote to the Prime Minister:
“6. Oleh yang demikian, saya pohon pertimbangan serta kelulusan YAB Datuk Seri ke atas perkara seperti tersebut di perenggan 3(i) dan 4.”
Perenggan 3(i) dan (4) referred to KDSB’s RM1.2 billion variation order.
I was at first shocked that Ong regarded the post of Transport Minister as just a postman or delivery boy for PKA without any ministerial responsibility to ensure that the RM1.2 billion variation order demanded by KDSB for PKFZ was proper and legitimate.
He seemed to have forgotten that one month before he endorsed the RM1.2 billion KDSB variation order on May 10, 2008, he had publicly declared in early April 2008 that he would “tell all” about the PKFZ scandal, how the project had ballooned to RM4.6 billion (before anyone knew that the scandal could balloon further to RM12.5 billion) – yet one month later, Ong could merrily endorse another RM1.2 billion PKFZ development cost variation order without batting an eyelid!
What is even more shocking has yet to come.
I have now been told that the PKA Board in February 2008 had not taken the final decision to approve the RM1.2 billion KDSB variation order but had referred the whole matter to the Transport Minister for a decision, although the PKA Board recommended approval but the decision was to be taken by the Transport Minister.
If so, then the decision to approve the RM1.2 billion KDSB variation order – which is even higher than the original cost of the PKFZ project as it was estimated to cost RM1.08 billion in 2002 – was taken by none other than Ong himself, although his two predecessors as Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik and Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy had played their deplorable roles in the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal.
This is the one question Ong Tee Keat must answer at the PAC inquiry into the PKFZ scandal tomorrow – whether he, and not Port Klang Authority, gave final approval for the RM1.2 billion KDSB variation order after he became Transport Minister and on what basis.
Let Ong give direct, full and frank answer on this question without equivocation whatsoever, producing all relevant documentation to the PAC – or Ong will have to face a censure motion in Parliament.
Who has approved on the variation can be easily check on the minutes ect. There is no point to push around if one is sincere about the tell all promise.
When OTK taken over the MOT he should have cover himself by immediate distant him self from this EVIL PROJECT. Who ever approved on this variation order, OTK can not escape responsibility by just saying that he was just delaying a message or passing a request that have previously approved, instead he should exercise caution in whatever action that he wish to take in his capacity of a Minister, otherwise why to be a minister, it will be better just engage pos laju to send the letter of request for additional fund to the then PM.
They are all involved la … all of them. What happened to the Ministry of Youth and Sports purchase of over priced items? No one was implicated … hahaahahaaa …
OTK, by all accounts, must unreservedly vow to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth on the PKFZ fiasco.
The entire rakyat of Malaysia has the right to know the whole truth!
Tun LLS has apparently could not remember the detail on this or that when testify in PACC enquiry. But he was also reported as a kind fellow in mental memory exercise and has officiating mental memory classy in UTAR. Any way for thing like that it seem that most of the Tun can not remember like so many TUNs has been testify when call upon. This was the mentality of our TUNs in Malaysia. What a shame.
It was twittered in the Malaysian Insider that Ling Liong Sik in his testimony to the PAC today repeatedly said that he “does not remember the details”. Just like what Mahathir did in the Lingam case.
What can we expect from the testimonies of others?
Can we not allow these witnesses to access the reports, documents etc to “refresh” their memories and help them “remember”? And get the PAC members to ask more specific and clear questions. Otherwise all the PAC enquiries will be a waste of time as they will be “inconclusive” for lack of information. And nothing will ever come out of these hearings.
Don’t remember details is no issue, where is documentary proof? This type of problem is all documentary, not like the judge fixing … Haiz …
Certain Tun’s mind just get rusty and could not remember much unless get him some whisky to wake him up
BN should be given awards for having the best actor, best actress, best director, best orchestration.
Best education you can get in this world is in Malaysia, University Of BN, get a BSc in Bluffology or a MBA in Conmanship.
Why not? As long $$$ is flowing into own pocket, can always deny “Don’t know why”, “Don’t know how”.
After following the political progress for so long, seems no end to this.
“I was then into my ministerial job for less than two months…”
Just like the former sleepy dumbo who excused himself by claiming “baru turun padang 15 minit…”
The excuse that he did not know the details or new to the job is LAME! PKFZ messed was ongoing for a while and when JAFZA pulled out everyone knew something was very wrong. In other words OTK, even as deputy cabinet minister, should have known something was wrong even before JAFZA pulled out which was two years ago.
He is telling us, after something was smelling for more than a year, he took over the portfolio AND STILL ACTED LIKE A POSTMAN???
You do no need PWC to tell you something is wrong and take action..
Its just lame…very lame…
“The one question Ong Tee Keat must answer at the PAC inquiry into PKFZ scandal tomorrow – whether he, and not Port Klang Authority, gave final approval for the RM1.2 billion KDSB variation order after he became Transport Minister”
When you are talking about a billion ringgit scandal, do you think that the left hand can work without the right hand? It doesn’t matter who gave the final approval. One must check on the other and if anyone is negligent in performing his duties, he is still responsible, even though he didn’t give the instruction… otherwise, I can act like Abdullah… see nothing, hear nothing, know nothing and be blamed for nothing.
Ong Tee Keat wrote to the the PM to seek approval. So who approved it?
a) the Cabinet (which will include Najib etc)
b) the then PM, Abdullah Badawi
c) the Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat
d) the PKFZ Board of Directors.
Are there any other choices?
1. YB, Can you advise the People what had been approved by the Parliament? As subsequent approvals by the Cabinet cannot be outside the scope and amount approved by the Parliament, isn’t it?
2. Can a MOT minister approve something which was not approved by the Parliament and then the Cabinet?
Therefore, even if OTK or LLS “cannot” remember, shouldn’t it be traceable from the minutes of the Cabinet and the Parliament?
3. Since PKFZ was already launched in Nov 2006, what kind of variation can up to What can be 1.2billion for seeking order in May 2008?