'Hero outside, coward in the House'

A vexed Lim Kit Siang today hammered Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat calling him a "hero outside but a coward in the House".

The veteran politician was dissatisfied with Ong's brief ministerial statement over the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) fiasco.

Referring to press reports yesterday, Lim said the MCA president stated that he was willing to accept questions and have a debate on the matter.

"I was expecting a long session," he told reporters.

The Ipoh Timor MP added that Ong's 40-minute English and Chinese press conference, held in the Parliament lobby, was longer than his "shameful" eight-minute ministerial statement.

"He said nothing. He had promised to tell all but he has told nothing," Lim said, adding that the minister's statement added nothing to what was already known to the public.

Instead, Lim said Ong should have spent those 40 minutes in the House to “explain the long and the short of the RM12.5 billion… the scandal of scandals”.

The opposition leader also labelled the scandal as "more heinous" than former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s RM2.5 billion Bumiputera Malaysia Finance imbroglio during the 1980s.

Lim reiterated that he was disappointed because Ong had promised to reveal all.

Ong must apologise or else...

The two even exchanged some words and shook hands while Lim waited for Ong to clear the press conference area.

"I hope you give another statement tomorrow, because today’s was a horrible statement," he told the minister, who countered: "I beg to disagree."

Speaking to reporters, Lim urged Ong to reconsider his decision and issue another statement which addressed the former’s five questions on matters of land acquisition, cabinet decision, development cost, responsibility and loans.

According to Lim, Ong had said on Oct 2 that the cabinet made the decision to purchase the land.

"There was another cabinet meeting on Oct 23 where the cabinet decided that it should be by way of acquisition at RM10 per square foot and not purchased at RM25 per square foot," he said.

Lim pointed out that Ong did not deny the claim.

He said that all cabinet meetings held since before 1999 and subsequent decisions made should be revealed.

In a posting on his blog, Lim said if Ong does not tender an apology in the next 24 hours for misleading Parliament in his ministerial statement, he will move a motion to refer him to the Committee of Privileges

Meanwhile, DAP Klang MP Charles Santiago said the ministerial statement was the "most embarassing moment for Parliament".

"He (Ong) can no longer be trusted to uncover the wrongdoings of the scandal and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has had to take over," he added.

Also present at the press conference were Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, DAP Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw and DAP Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua.

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