Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat must explain if he pressured the prime minister to approve a RM1.2 billion payment as variation of costs for the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project, demanded DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang today.

ong tee keat and pkfz report released 270509 2 The veteran politician posed three questions to Ong, who is also MCA president, pertaining to the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal.

In his first question, Lim said a website has appeared which uploaded an exchange of letters to show that on May 10, 2008, Ong allegedly pressured Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to approve RM1.2 billion payment as variation of costs for the PKFZ project to its turnkey developer Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd.

He asked why this information was omitted in the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit report on PKFZ.

Secondly, Lim said the website also made a serious allegation that Lee Hwa Beng’s tenure as Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairman ended on Feb 15.

"Until today the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has never given consent to extend or renew Lee's term, and that Ong is asking the prime minister to backdate Lee’s appointment. Is this true?" he added.

Skipping Parliament for air show?

Lim's third question centred around Ong's admission in his blog that he had gone to France to attend the 'prestigious' Paris Air Show 'to meet up with my French counterpart'.

ong tee keat france working trip 170609 04 "Couldn't he send his deputy to the Paris Air Show?

"What is so important about the show except as an excuse for a junket at taxpayers’ expense, when there is the important issue of proper parliamentary accounting on the PKFZ scandal?" he asked.

Lim also asked why the minister did not declare publicly in advance that he was going for the Paris Air Show and will miss Parliament.

"Is Ong prepared to submit to a public opinion poll as to whether he acted responsibly in going off for a junket instead of being in Parliament on the very first day to account for the scandal?" he added.

lim kit siang 201108 In fact, there is no need for a national opinion poll, Lim said, adding that a poll involving MCA members will suffice.

"I have no doubt that the overwhelming majority of ordinary MCA members or more than 90 percent will agree that Ong was being utterly irresponsible in running away.

"Of course, if MCA ministers, deputy ministers, parliamentary secretaries and MPs are polled, 99 percent will agree that Ong was right to go off for the Paris Air Show," he noted.

Ong was just the delivery man

In an immediate respond posted in his blog , Ong said that he was merely relaying the PKA board's decision to the then prime minister.

"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 said.

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.

ong tee keat He noted that at that time PKA was also at risk of defaulting payment as the deadline to meet its financial obligations was approaching.

He said that he has nothing to hide on the matter and pointed out that it was him who had directed PKA to commission an independent report and asked for the findings to be made public.

"It is unfortunate that there are quarters who are uncomfortable with this and have chosen to spin unfounded lies about me. Many of them hide behind online anonymity to tarnish and discredit me and even leak out official letters," he said.

"It is deplorable that a mere representation made to convey the PKA board decision to the prime minister could be spun by (Lim) Kit Siang as pressuring the PM.

"If this is not blatant spinning, what else would better befit this?" he asked.