Journalists left the Putrajaya Sessions Court empty-handed today when no prominent individual was charged despite strong speculation that another 'big fish' would be arrested for graft.

More than 15 journalists had stationed themselves at the court since 9am and most left disappointed after an fruitless eight-hour wait.

A separate group of journalists had waited at the Shah Alam Sessions Court also to no avail.

The Attorney-General's Chambers, when contacted earlier today, refused to confirm or deny the rumours.

NONE It was heavily speculated that the individual expected to be arrested was a prominent Umno leader.

According to sources, the arrest was in connection with a multi-billion ringgit cost blowout on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), one of the country's biggest financial scandals.

A similar speculation had sent journalists to the Putrajaya Sessions Court two weeks ago.

But on that occasion, the rumours turned out to be true when former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik was eventually brought to court at 4.50pm.

Ling, 67, was arrested for cheating the cabinet over the sale of a piece of land in Port Klang for the project.

He was alleged to have misled the cabinet in 2002 into agreeing to purchase 999.5 acres of land on Pulau Indah which will cost the government an extra RM720 million.

The former MCA chief pleaded not guilty and is currently out on RM1 million bail.

Loss-making venture

Ling, the most high-profile personality to be connected to the scandal, faces up to seven years in jail if convicted.   

NONE Three others, including former Port Klang Authority general manager OC Phang, were charged in December last year. Their trial is still ongoing.       

A report by the PKFZ’s external auditors has indicated the venture would be loss-making until 2029 because of the cost of paying its debts and would only break even in 2051.

The commercial and industrial project was initially projected to cost RM1.82 billion but is now expected to balloon to RM12.5 billion.