MACC starts probe on RM10 million donation to Tee Keat
Ong was grilled for three hours today by the MACC over Tiong’s RM10 million donation claim.
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 3 – Beleaguered MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat was questioned for three hours today by anti-graft officers over allegations that he took a RM10 million cash donation from Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
The probe by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) follows accusations from Tiong, who controls Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB), the turnkey contractor for the scandal-hit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project.
Besides the RM10 million allegation, which Ong has denied, KDSB has also revealed that the transport minister took free rides on the company’s private jets.
Tiong’s attacks suggest the two once had a cozy relationship even though KDSB was being probed by the government over the PKFZ project.
But Tiong, who is also Barisan Nasional Backbenchers chief, began his attacks against Ong after the minister’s task force began blaming KDSB for the massive cost overruns faced by the PKFZ.
The allegations from Tiong have severely tarnished Ong’s image.
The MACC probe will also provide fodder for supporters of his chief rival, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, in their bid to topple the MCA president.
Ong, who is using the PKFZ issue as a confidence vote in his leadership, has sued Tiong to the tune of RM500 million for defamation and accused him of trying to divert attention from the investigation.
However, the PKFZ scandal has also been the one issue which has seen him suffer major blows to his own credibility, with much of the damage inflicted by Tiong’s allegations.
Asked by reporters about Chua’s claim that his supporters have gathered enough national delegate signatures to call an EGM to unseat him as president, Ong replied that he is “not interested to comment”.
Chua had earlier also slammed Ong for allegedly abusing his position as president to frustrate grassroots efforts to unseat him by calling his own EGM.
In his blog posting today, Ong responded to criticism of his decision to call his own EGM, saying that “some quarters” were out to confuse the issue and split MCA to achieve their “selfish agendas”.
He also said that he was told that some delegates were “coerced” to sign the petition for the EGM calling for his ouster.
He claimed that he called an EGM to avoid splitting the party even further by doing away with the need for delegates to sign a petition.
“Collecting signatures from delegates to call for an EGM means forcing them to make a stance. If they sign, that means they are in support of a particular leader and if they don’t, that means they are backing another one. This is unhealthy at a time when MCA is undergoing a healing process after last year’s general election,” he said.
“Delegates can make a stance on whether or not they support the resolutions at the ballot box. And since their vote is a secret, nobody will know about their stance.”
Ong added this was the first time he was called in by the MACC and he was willing to meet again should the need arise.
“Today I had a lengthy meeting with MACC on PKFZ and the allegations by the KDSB CEO (Tiong). Much of the meeting touched on personal details, background of the case, chronology of events and related matters.”
There was no lawyer present as Ong said it was not necessary.
“I have said from the very beginning, with regards to PKFZ and other accusations, I offer myself and whatever information they want and I will give the necessary cooperation.”
Ong, however, has denied the allegations and has sued Tiong for defamation, accusing him of trying to divert attention away from the investigations.
While there,Ong also gave his statement to MACC with regards to the ongoing probe into the PKFZ.
The Port Klang Authority (PKA) had lodged a report against KDSB and four other parties alleging a possible conspiracy to commit fraud in the development of the troubled transshipment hub.
The five parties named by PKA in their report lodged on August 26 with MACC are Datin Paduka OC Phang, the former general manager of PKA; Tiong himself; KDSB and its directors, servants and agents and BTA Architect; and Bernard Tan Seng Swee, the consultant appointed for development works for PKFZ.
PKA also says it has found RM1.4 billion in questionable claims made during the development of PKFZ and lodged a police report against KDSB and BTA Architect.
Police from the commercial crime division have begun their investigation.
MI
04/09/09
Ong was grilled for three hours today by the MACC over Tiong’s RM10 million donation claim.
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 3 – Beleaguered MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat was questioned for three hours today by anti-graft officers over allegations that he took a RM10 million cash donation from Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
The probe by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) follows accusations from Tiong, who controls Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB), the turnkey contractor for the scandal-hit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project.
Besides the RM10 million allegation, which Ong has denied, KDSB has also revealed that the transport minister took free rides on the company’s private jets.
Tiong’s attacks suggest the two once had a cozy relationship even though KDSB was being probed by the government over the PKFZ project.
But Tiong, who is also Barisan Nasional Backbenchers chief, began his attacks against Ong after the minister’s task force began blaming KDSB for the massive cost overruns faced by the PKFZ.
The allegations from Tiong have severely tarnished Ong’s image.
The MACC probe will also provide fodder for supporters of his chief rival, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, in their bid to topple the MCA president.
Ong, who is using the PKFZ issue as a confidence vote in his leadership, has sued Tiong to the tune of RM500 million for defamation and accused him of trying to divert attention from the investigation.
However, the PKFZ scandal has also been the one issue which has seen him suffer major blows to his own credibility, with much of the damage inflicted by Tiong’s allegations.
Asked by reporters about Chua’s claim that his supporters have gathered enough national delegate signatures to call an EGM to unseat him as president, Ong replied that he is “not interested to comment”.
Chua had earlier also slammed Ong for allegedly abusing his position as president to frustrate grassroots efforts to unseat him by calling his own EGM.
In his blog posting today, Ong responded to criticism of his decision to call his own EGM, saying that “some quarters” were out to confuse the issue and split MCA to achieve their “selfish agendas”.
He also said that he was told that some delegates were “coerced” to sign the petition for the EGM calling for his ouster.
He claimed that he called an EGM to avoid splitting the party even further by doing away with the need for delegates to sign a petition.
“Collecting signatures from delegates to call for an EGM means forcing them to make a stance. If they sign, that means they are in support of a particular leader and if they don’t, that means they are backing another one. This is unhealthy at a time when MCA is undergoing a healing process after last year’s general election,” he said.
“Delegates can make a stance on whether or not they support the resolutions at the ballot box. And since their vote is a secret, nobody will know about their stance.”
Ong added this was the first time he was called in by the MACC and he was willing to meet again should the need arise.
“Today I had a lengthy meeting with MACC on PKFZ and the allegations by the KDSB CEO (Tiong). Much of the meeting touched on personal details, background of the case, chronology of events and related matters.”
There was no lawyer present as Ong said it was not necessary.
“I have said from the very beginning, with regards to PKFZ and other accusations, I offer myself and whatever information they want and I will give the necessary cooperation.”
Ong, however, has denied the allegations and has sued Tiong for defamation, accusing him of trying to divert attention away from the investigations.
While there,Ong also gave his statement to MACC with regards to the ongoing probe into the PKFZ.
The Port Klang Authority (PKA) had lodged a report against KDSB and four other parties alleging a possible conspiracy to commit fraud in the development of the troubled transshipment hub.
The five parties named by PKA in their report lodged on August 26 with MACC are Datin Paduka OC Phang, the former general manager of PKA; Tiong himself; KDSB and its directors, servants and agents and BTA Architect; and Bernard Tan Seng Swee, the consultant appointed for development works for PKFZ.
PKA also says it has found RM1.4 billion in questionable claims made during the development of PKFZ and lodged a police report against KDSB and BTA Architect.
Police from the commercial crime division have begun their investigation.
MI
04/09/09
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