Newly appointed Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairperson Lee Hwa Beng foresees a lot of challenges given that his new post involves a political hot potato - Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ).

“It's going to be a challenge because there has been so much innuendoes involved,” said Lee in reference to the heavy public criticism about the government handling of the PKFZ controversy.

cairo trip controversy 210105 lee hwa beng For Lee, the challenge has already set in - he has up to next week to nominate a suitable accounting firm to perform an overall audit on PKFZ’s finances and is presently scrambling to find a suitable candidate.

This was among the immediate priorities laid out by Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat, who announced Lee’s appointment yesterday.

“The terms of reference is very clear - First, appoint a firm and have the overall audit performed. Secondly, ensure full cooperation between the PKA and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) if the latter conducts an inquiry,” Lee told Malaysiakini today.

Lee, a trained accountant, also revealed that he had recently resigned as the chairperson of a logistics company thus ensuring that there can be no allegations of conflict of interest.

He is also a former three-term Subang Jaya assemblyperson. His bid for the Kelana Jaya Parliament seat during March 8 general election was unsuccessful.

‘Informing the public’

The independent audit was part of Ong’s mission to publicly explain how the government’s RM4.6 billion ‘soft-loan’ to PKFZ was spent.

Ong however stressed that the audit was not a means of questioning the handling of PKFZ’s finances but to keep the public abreast with the ministry’s ongoing probe on the controversial project.

The PKFZ saga was deemed by detractors as a multi-billion ringgit white-elephant following dismal reception to the planned import-export hub, modeled after the successful Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai.

The project came under heavy scrutiny following damning news reports of alleged mismanagement, conflict of interest involving political figures and numerous other irregularities.

The latest round of furore erupted in July last year when cabinet approved a RM4.6 billion ‘soft- loan’ in form of bonds to PKFZ in a bid to revitalise the ailing project.

Detractors however have deemed the matter a scandal and a government bailout.