Dr Ling still retains use of his federally-awarded Tunship. — file pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 1 — The Sultan of Selangor has suspended the state titles awarded to former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and ex-Port Klang Authority (PKA) general manager Datin Paduka OC Phang pending the conclusion of their ongoing court cases over their roles in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.
The decision to suspend their datukships was made after consultation with the Dewan di-Raja Selangor on August 19, the state secretary said in a statement today.
Dr Ling was awarded the Darjah Kebesaran Dato’ Paduka Mahkota Selangor (DPMS) which carries the title “Dato’” in 1992, while Phang was granted the Darjah Kebesaran Dato’ Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (DSSA) with the title “Datin Paduka” nine years ago.
However, Dr Ling, who was awarded the Seri Setia Mahkota (SSM) by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong in 2004, will still be able to use his “Tun” title.
The suspension of the titles will be reviewed after their respective court judgments and if they are acquitted of their charges, the statement added.
Dr Ling, 66, was charged under Sections 418 and 417 of the Penal Code on July 29 with cheating the government by misleading the Cabinet, then helmed by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the land acquisition for the PKFZ project in Klang.
The PKFZ project was mooted during his term as transport minister and the cost of the project, initially estimated at less than RM2 billion, more than doubled to RM4.6 billion by 2007.
The total bill for the project is expected to swell to as much as RM12.5 billion due to interest costs from deferred payments, if the trans-shipment hub fails to perform.
If convicted, Dr Ling faces up to seven years in jail and a fine.
Phang, 63, was charged last December with three counts of criminal breach of trust involving RM254.85 million over the PKFZ scandal between October 1, 2004, and May 9, 2006.
If convicted, she faces a maximum of 20 years’ jail and liability of a fine for each charge.
Her trial, which was scheduled to start on August 25, has been delayed to October 26 at the Klang Sessions Court following the defence’s request for more time to study newly submitted documents.
- The Malaysian Insider
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