Published: Friday July 13, 2012 MYT 9:24:00 PM
Updated: Friday July 13, 2012 MYT 9:47:36 PM

Dr Ling acted on advice of Transport Ministry officials, court hears

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik acted in accordance to recommendations and advice of Transport Ministry (MOT) officials in the purchase of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project's land, a High Court was told.

His lead counsel Wong Kian Kheong said Dr Ling, 69, did not at any time instruct, direct or request the ministry's officers to conceal, misrepresent or mislead any fact in the preparation of letters and notes relating to procurement of the land.

“No one ever informed Tun (Dr) Ling that the letters, memoranda or any form of documentation was wrong, flawed or inaccurate in any way,” Wong said in his opening speech on the first day of the former Transport Minister's defence case.

On March 9, Dr Ling was ordered to enter his defence over three charges of cheating the Government in relation to the PKFZ project.

Wong said Dr Ling did not have any intention to deceive the Cabinet as he had directed his officers and Port Klang Authority to adhere to the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH) valuation with regard to the procurement of the land.

He said the defence would show that the majority of letters, memos and minutes of meetings referred to the “special value” of the land as RM25 psf when JPPH's letter dated Sept 29, 2000 gave the land a “special value” of RM21 psf.

“No correction was ever made by MOT (Transport Ministry), PKA (Port Klang Authority), MOF (Finance Ministry) or Economic Planning Unit (EPU) saying that RM25 psf was not the special value' until Tun (Dr) Ling was charged,' he said.

Dr Ling is accused of deceiving the Government by not revealing to the Cabinet an additional interest rate of 7.5% annually in the RM1.088bil (at RM25psf) purchase of the land for the project at the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya between Sept 25, 2002 and Nov 6, 2002.

Dr Ling also claimed trial to two alternative charges of cheating, which carries a lesser penalty.

Wong said Dr Ling have never acted as KDSB's “mouthpiece” and he has never met nor had any dealing with its employees or the company which is the turnkey contractor of the PKFZ project.

He said that the prosecution has failed to establish that the alleged concealment or deception was the operative cause in obtaining the Cabinet's consent to PKA's purchase of the land.

“If there was indeed any intention by the accused to cheat the then Prime Minister, Cabinet and the Government, Tun (Dr) Ling would have had to conspire and implement with a high degree of coordination with senior officers of the MOT, PKA, MOF and KDSB.

"No iota of such evidence was ever adduced by the prosecution,” he said.

The trial resumes on Monday.

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Published: Friday July 13, 2012 MYT 9:24:00 PMUpdated: Friday July 13, 2012 MYT 9:47:36 PM

Dr Ling acted on advice of Transport Ministry officials, court hears

Published: Friday July 13, 2012 MYT 9:24:00 PM
Updated: Friday July 13, 2012 MYT 9:47:36 PM