In the midst of police reports, statements from opposition figures, and a possible public inquiry over the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) fiasco, a director of the project's turnkey contractor Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd lost his cool and warned of legal action against malaysiakini.

Contacted at about 4.30 this afternoon, Kuala Dimensi director Tiong King Sing lambasted malaysiakini's irresponsibility in writing reports which he alleged were contrary to the facts and jeopardising plans to develop the country.

Tiong, who is also Bintulu member of Parliament, is Youth chief of the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party - a member of ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

"Don't just simply fire (away) at people when you think you have all the freedom to write all sorts of things. It doesn't mean that (just because) we haven't taken any legal action, we are scared or we are worried or that we have done something wrong," Tiong blared over the phone.

Kuala Dimensi is the company that bought the 1,000-acre land on Pulau Indah for about RM95 million from the island's fishermen's cooperative and sold it to the Port Klang Authority (PKA) for RM1.088 billion.

Soon after, Kuala Dimensi was appointed by PKA to develop the land into the PKFZ - touted to be the Southeast Asian version of the highly-successful Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai.

The project's cost ballooned , however, from a projected RM2.3 billion when the initial land and development agreements between PKA and Kuala Dimensi were inked in 2003-2004 to the current RM4.632 billion.

Tiong refused to answer any questions posed to him over Kuala Dimensi's role in the project and allegations of political interference and conflict of interest.

He also repeated an earlier assertion that there is no link between Kuala Dimensi and development and investment firm Wijaya Baru Global Bhd (WBGB), of which PKA chairperson Chor Chee Heung is also deputy chairperson.

When told of a police report filed today by DAP leader Ronnie Liu - his fourth since the development project was inked in 2004 - over the controversy, Tiong blasted malaysiakini for being the opposition party's mouthpiece.

'You simply hantam people!'

"You ask me to comment, I wouldn't comment. Whatever I comment, you would never write. Whenever we tell you the truth, you would never (write) what we say. What the DAP says, you always write what the DAP says," said Tiong.

"Did you know that in the Eight Malaysia Plan (2001-2005) this project was already approved? You tell (DAP leader Lim) Kit Siang I'm going to prove it to him. He is wrong! The project in the Eighth Malaysia Plan was already approved," he added.

"You never did your homework. You simply hantam (strike out at) people!"

Tiong also said the PKFZ had been written off as a white elephant, whereas other projects such as the Putrajaya administrative capital which was similarly attacked as being a "ghost city" have proven their worth and success.

"How can we get any successful development to go on in Malaysia like this? All projects, you want to hantam . The Putrajaya project also you want to hantam... Now (there are) traffic jams in Putrajaya! Do you feel at all responsible (for what you said to the contrary)?"

"Now, you hantam the free zone as a ghost place but tomorrow (when) it makes money, will you feel responsible after you have tarnished me? You will pay me for the damage to my reputation!" he warned before hanging up abruptly.

In his report lodged at the Shah Alam district police station this morning, Ronnie Liu called on the Selangor CPO Khalid Abu Bakar to investigate the issue in light of the increasing media reports of the controversy.

"This is my fourth police report. There was no action taken by the police for all (of) my (previous) three reports - one in 2004 and two in 2007. Stop disappointing a concerned citizen who acts on public interest," said Liu in his report.

Another opposition leader, PKR treasurer-general William Leong, called on the government to form an "independent, bipartisan committee" to investigate the matter, particularly the impending bailout-cum-soft loan extended to PKFZ.

"The government must form an independent, bipartisan committee to investigate this blatant scandal and charge those responsible. Action must also be taken against the culprits to recover the money and to get them to disgorge their ill gotten gains," said Leong in a statement.

Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee Shahrir Abdul Samad has said an inquiry would focus on whether the debacle would lead to the PKA being bailed out, as well as whether the controversy would have an adverse impact on foreign investment.

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