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Thursday June 11, 2009

Task force and two panels to act on PKFZ report

By ROYCE CHEAH, NG CHENG YEE and BEH YUEN HUI


PUTRAJAYA: The Government has set up a special task force and two committees to seriously deal with issues arising from the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) audit report, with one of the committees being headed by anti-corruption body Transparency International Malaysia.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the Port Klang Authority (PKA) task force was formed together with a PKA ad hoc corporate governance committee and a PKFZ executive committee.

“The PKA task force has been given two months to give its recommendations on how to right the wrongs and pursue appropriate legal remedies,” Ong said.

When asked if the results from the task force would eventually lead to long drawn-out legal battles, Ong said it was not fair to pre-judge the matter at this juncture.

According to a statement by PKA, the task force is to be headed by senior lawyer Vinayak Pradhan, from legal firm Skrine.

He is to be assisted by Skrine partner Lim Chee Wee, PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services (PwCAS) managing director Chin Kwai Fatt and PwCAS senior executive director Lim San Peen.

Ong also said he would not engage in a tit-for-tat with the Opposition, which had been harping on a number of issues surrounding the PKFZ project.

“A new website, www.pkfznews.com.my, will address all these questions.”

Ong said the website would be completely transparent in addressing all questions.

A check on the website showed that a number of questions raised by various quarters were answered there.

“There should be no apprehensions.

“I understand that the whole nation is watching the development as it unfolds. We are mindful that we must act in the best interest of the people,” Ong told a press conference yesterday.

Asked whether this meant the ministry was serious in taking action against those responsible for the escalating cost, Ong said the ministry would have to work within its jurisdiction.

The PKA ad hoc corporate governance committee, led by TI-M president Datuk Paul Low, would put in place a long-term control mechanism to ensure the PKA board and management follow good governance rules and regulations.

The PKFZ executive committee meanwhile is to be headed jointly by PKA chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng and Chartered Institute of Marketing Malaysia president Tan Sri Dr James Alfred.

It has been tasked with reviving the PKFZ, which may see its initial cost of about RM2bil escalate to a much higher amount due to interest charges.

Lee said the only cost involved in setting up the committees and task force would be professional fees to be paid to those in the task force.

“Those in the committees would only be getting meeting allowances,” he said, adding that it would take two weeks to decide on the terms of reference for the task force.

In Kuala Lumpur, Bernama reports that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) queried the PKA yesterday over the escalating cost of the PKFZ project.

Its deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said the PAC had set aside two days to enable PKA officials to shed light on the fiasco.

“We want to know who decided to ignore the Attorney-General’s recommendation that the land in Pulau Indah should be acquired by the Government,” he told reporters after meeting PKA officials.

Related Stories:
PKFZ and the public’s right to know
TI welcomes PKFZ role

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