Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang wants the Anti-Corruption Agency to clarify the real status of its investigation into the business dealings of former MCA chief Dr Ling Liong Sik and his son.

Lim said the agency must confirm whether if it had indeed closed its files on Ling - who was also a long-time transport minister - and his son, Hee Leong.

Top ACA officials yesterday told Lim that the two Lings did not commit any offences following the agency's six-year investigation into the matter. But two Malay dailies reported today that the ACA was still pursuing the case.

"The (Malay dailies) reports are totally at variance from what I had been told by the ACA officers with regards to the outcome of my six-year report on Ling and Hee Leong," said the DAP chairperson in a statement.

At a close-door meeting with Lim yesterday, ACA deputy director of investigations Ahmad Mandus and head of general investigations R Rathakirushnan said that the two Lings had been cleared by the corruption watchdog of any improprieties relating a RM1.2 billion in corporate acquisitions in 1997.

Lim's meeting with the officials was in relation to several reports that he had filed since 1997 calling for investigations into whether Ling had improperly used his influence as MCA chief and cabinet minister to secure mega-loans for his son's business ventures with businessman Soh Chee Wen.

Hee Leong, who was then 27 years old, startled the corporate world when he bought a number of key companies with Soh's help.

The two officers had however said that another ACA investigation on Ling - following disclosures by former political ally Soh on their business dealings - was still pending.

Probe still on?

Reports in today's Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia quoted ACA director of investigations Nordin Ismail as saying that investigations on Ling and his son was still on-going.

Nordin denied that the files on the duo had been closed, adding that investigations were still pending and the agency had taken more statements from Lim and Soh pertaining their investigations.

The ACA top official was quoted as saying that the agency started its probe immediately after the first report was lodged in 1997 and that its results were then given to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.

"However, due to lack of evidence, the case was not pursued. We re-opened the case when Lim lodged his second report last June."

While Lim's first ACA report was to call on the agency to investigate how a 27-year-old could have amassed more than a billion ringgit in a short period of time, his second report was based on allegations made by Ling's former protege Soh in an interview with malaysiakini last year.

In the interview , Soh had claimed that in 1997, the MCA leader had asked him not to bring up his name and that of his wife, Ena, in relation to ACA inquiries on several of their controversial business deals.

Conflicting statements

Reacting to the conflicting statements from ACA officers, Lim said he would re-visit the ACA office on Monday for further clarification.

"Yesterday was the first time I met Ahmad Mandus and Rathakirushnan and I find them to be responsible and professional officers who have no reason to mislead me.

"On Monday, I hope that the ACA director Zulkipli Mat Noor or Nordin could enlighten the reasons for the change of ACA stand on my six-year report in a matter of hours," he added.

The opposition politician was told yesterday that the agency had already closed the files on the two Lings six months ago after failing to find any evidence of wrongdoings.

Lim also wants the ACA to clarify on how it could close its files on Ling and his son - if indeed they were closed - and at the same time continue to pursue investigations on the duo based on Lim's second report when the two matters were inter-related.