Ling wants PKFZ Cabinet papers declassified

FULL REPORT PUTRAJAYA: Former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik wants Cabinet papers on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal to be declassified and his cheating trial moved to Kuala Lumpur from here.
The former MCA president made these applications through his lawyers when his case was mentioned this morning. The matter will be mentioned again on Nov 30.

He was charged on July 30 with concealing the fact that the finance ministry’s valuation and property service department had valued the land for the troubled port project at RM25 psf for a repayment period of 10 years, or RM25.82 psf for a repayment period of 15 years, including interest chargeable for the repayment period.

The former minister was charged at the Putrajaya Sessions Court under Section 418 of the Penal Code with “cheating with knowledge that wrongful loss may be caused to a person whose interest the offender is bound to protect”.

The alleged offence was committed at the fourth floor of the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002. The charge carries a maximum seven years’ jail or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

Ling also faces an alternative charge, under Section 417, of cheating the government by misleading the Cabinet on the land acquisition for the same project, at the same place and time.

Under the alternative charge, he is liable to a jail term of up to five years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Cabinet papers vital
Wong Kian Kheong, one of Ling’s lawyers, told the court today that the Cabinet documents are essential  for the defence to answer the charge.

Among the documents sought were minutes of Cabinet meetings, Cabinet committee meetings and post-Cabinet papers which fell under the the Official Secrets Act (1972).

He said the defence also wanted to interview the witnesses in the case in the presence of the investigating officer.

Wong further requested for an early mention date for the case, taking into account Ling's status as former minister and long serving public servant .

This was however rebutted by deputy public prosecutor Dzulkifli Ahmad who argued that it would be impossible to have an early mention date because the prosecution needed time to act on the applications made by the defence in court today.

He said the prosecution will only declassify the confidential documents if they were only used in court.

Dzulkifli also confirmed that the prosecution had received the defence’s application to transfer the case to Kuala Lumpur High Court on Wednesday.