PKFZ verdict blank cheque for ministers to wash hands

PKFZ verdict blank cheque for ministers to wash hands
2:50PM Oct 26, 2013

Yesterday's acquittal of former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik of wrongdoing in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal amounts to giving cabinet ministers a "blank cheque" to write off any misdeeds under their purview, says DAP.

In a statement today, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said it was "shocking" of the High Court to rule that Ling cannot be held accountable as he was not the ministry’s "numero uno" (number one) but only “the transporter”.

NONE"Isn’t this as good as a blank cheque to all ministers that they enjoy immunity and impunity for whatever dereliction of duty in the course of official duties, including up to cabinet level?

"Is this the end  of the road in the quest to hold the person or persons responsible for the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal?" asked Lim.

The DAP veteran also asked what has happened to Prime Minister Najib Razak's "super task force" on the RM12.5 billion scandal, headed by then chief secretary Mohd Sidek Hassan, which was announced in September 2009.

"In the past four years Najib has not released even an iota of news with regard to the activities and findings (if any) of this super task force.

"Has the present chief secretary Ali Hamsa taken over this PKFZ super task force or has it closed shop and gone defunct?" he asked.

"Malaysia continues to be a land of 'heinous crimes without criminals', with Malaysians victimised by mega corruption and scandals that neither the government nor the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) can do anything to combat  when confronted with grand corruption involving big sharks instead of ikan bilis in the Malaysian corruption waters," Lim said.

NONEHe noted how since the time of former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad no one had ever been charged for any of the mega-scandals, from the RM2.5 billion Bumiputra Malaysia Finance (BMF) scandal he called "the first mega-scandal in Malaysian history".

"Mahathir conceded the RM2.5 billion BMF scandal was a 'heinous crime', (but) there were no criminals, as no one was charged whether in the criminal or civil courts."

Lim asked if Najib intended to break his "long list of elegant silences” over efforts to bring those responsible for the PKFZ scandal to justice, or if it would end up another "failure" of the PM's NKRA on corruption.