KUALA LUMPUR: A former minister is expected to be charged over the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) financial scandal at the Sessions Court in Putrajaya this afternoon.This would be the second ex-minister after Dr Ling Liong Sik, to be charged with allegedly cheating the government over the PKFZ financial fiasco.
Ling, 67, was charged in July, last year and is currently out on a RM1 million bail.
The offence was allegedly committed at the Prime Minister’s office here between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002.
Ling, the longest-serving MCA president, claimed trial to the first charge of cheating under Section 418 of the Penal Code and an alternative charge under Section 417 for an alleged offence committed at the same time and place.
He faces up to seven years in jail for the first charge and up to five years’ imprisonment on the alternative charge. Both carry a fine.
The prosecution, which came as a shock to the nation then, was the result of a joint probe by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police.
Ling was the fifth highest-ranking person to be charged over the scandal after former Port Klang Authority general manager OC Phang and three others were accused of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and cheating by making false claims late last year.
The PKFZ project was mooted during Ling’s term as transport minister, and the cost of the project – initially estimated at less than RM2 billion – more than doubled to RM4.6 billion by 2007.
Meanwhile, sources claim that the former minister to be charged today could be Chan Kong Choy who would be slapped with similar charges as Ling.
Chan joined the Cabinet as culture, arts and tourism deputy minister in 1990. He took over the transport ministry portfolio after a promotion in 2003.
He was re-appointed to the post in 2004 and was retained in a minor Cabinet reshuffle in 2006. He opted for retirement prior to the 2008 general election. He has also served as MCA deputy president from 2004 to 2008 - TMI
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