MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek was shocked when informed by reporters here that former transport minister and former party president Ling Liong Sik was charged in the Putrajaya Sessions Court today.

However, Chua said, he and the other MCA leaders believed that Ling would get a fair trial under the country's laws.

He only knew about Ling being charged when reporters asked him about it.

"When?...besides him (Ling), who else (was charged)?" asked Chua when met during his visit to Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (Cina) Poi Lam, Ipoh.

Ling, 67, was charged with cheating the Malaysian government by misleading the Cabinet on the land acquisition for the Mega Distribution Hub project in Port Klang.

Ling who was transport minister for 14 years from January 1986 to May 2000, pleaded not guilty to the principal charge and an alternative charge under Section 418 and Section 417 of the Penal Code.

Case shouldn't taint MCA

Judge Suzana Hussin allowed bail of RM1 million in one surety.

Ling is the fifth and highest-ranking individual charged in connection with the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

In Kuala Lumpur, former MCA president Ong Tee Kiat said Ling's case would not affect the renewal process in the party.

Ong, who is also a former transport minister, said it was unfair to link what happened to Ling, who was MCA president from 1986 to 2003, to the party now.

"The people want to know the findings of the investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency and police. It is a matter of public interest," he told reporters after attending the Malaysian Law Conference organised by the Bar Council today.

    

Ling created history as the longest serving MCA president before retiring from active politics in 2003. He was conferred the Seri Setia Mahkota award which carries the title "Tun" in June 2004.

PKFZ started during Ling's tenure

It was in 1999, during his tenure as transport minister, the PKFZ project, planned as a transportation hub on a 405ha site in Port Klang with godowns, office blocks and a four-star hotel, was set up.

The project generated controvery in 2008 after it was revealed that the cost for it had ballooned from RM2.5 billion to RM4.6 billion.

The Port Klang Authority bought PKFZ land of 1,000 acres in Pulau Indah from Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) in 2002 at RM25 per square foot. KDSB was then appointed to be the developer.

The issue is of huge public interest as PKA obtained a finance ministry soft loan of RM4.632 billion to fund the project.

Following the expose, Ling was called to testify before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in July last year.

 - Bernama

Related story: PKFZ scandal: Ex-transport minister Ling charged