The Prime Minister's Department said the conferment of an award carrying the title of 'Tun' on former MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik should not be questioned on the basis of ongoing investigations into alleged corruption in a business deal.

"We cannot confirm his (Ling) involvement in corruption as he has yet to be charged in court, so it is unfair to say he should not receive the Tunship," parliamentary secretary Mohd Johari Baharum told a press conference at the Parliament's lobby yesterday.

Ling, the former transport minister and MCA chief, was conferred the title on Saturday in conjunction with the King's birthday. He stepped down from his ministerial and party post last May.

The issue had been questioned by Tan Kok Wai (DAP-Cheras) during question hour in the House yesterday.

He asked how Ling could have been considered for the nation's highest award when the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) is still investigating him (and son Hee Leong) over RM1.2 billion corporate acquisition deal. DAP chief Lim Kit Siang had lodged an ACA report on this in 1997.

Last July, ACA deputy director of investigations Ahmad Mandus informed Lim that the case had been closed.

The next day, Malay dailies quoted Ahmad's superior Nordin Ismail as saying that the ACA had re-opened the file following a malaysiakini interview with Soh Chee Wen, a businessman who is also alleged to be involved in the deal.

On Saturday, Lim had urged Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to make a ministerial statement clearing Ling of any wrongdoing before the title is conferred on him.

Agreeing, Tan said the person concerned should be cleared first in order to avoid an "embarrassing" situation where the award may have to be revoked at a later date.

'Stringent process'

When responding in the House, Mohd Johari also said there had been no sale of royal medals for titles such as 'Datuk', and urged anyone with knowledge of such practices to lodge a police report.

He said the conferment of awards follows a stringent selection process. A committee headed by the prime minister distributes nomination forms to groups to recommend recipients, whose background is screened to determine if there are pending criminal or corruption investigations against them. The premier makes a shortlist of nominations which is submitted to the palace.

Mohd Johari ( photo ), however, could not ascertain how many titles have been revoked from VIPs to date.

In a supplementary question, Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan) asked the department why many "individuals who have (made) no contributions, (or who are) criminals or steal timber" have been conferred titles.

Replying, Mohd Johari only said the selection committee would pay more attention to this matter.