Dr Ling charged with cheating M’sian govt involving RM1.08 bln

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PUTRAJAYA: Former transport minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik was charged in the Sessions Court here yesterday with cheating the Malaysian government with regard to the Port Klang Free Trade Zone (PKFZ) involving land acquisition amounting to RM1.08 billion in Pulau Indah eight years ago.

CHARGED: Dr Ling (left) accompanied by his eldest son Ling Hee Leong at the Kajang Sessions Court yesterday. — Bernama photo

CHARGED: Dr Ling (left) accompanied by his eldest son Ling Hee Leong at the Kajang Sessions Court yesterday. — Bernama photo

Dr Ling, 67, who is also a former MCA president, pleaded not guilty to a principal charge and an alternative charge under Section 418 and Section 417 of the Penal Code.

Dr Ling is alleged to have deceived the Malaysian government between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002 by deceiving the Cabinet on Level 4, Prime Minister’s Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya.

He appeared calm when the charge, which was translated into English, was read to him.

Judge Suzana Hussin granted bail of RM1 million with one surety.

The court also fixed 8.30am on Sept 3 for mention of the case.

Dr Ling, who was wearing a blue striped shirt, was released after posting bail.

According to the principal charge, he is alleged to have deceived the Cabinet into agreeing on the land purchase according to the terms agreed to between Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd and the Port Klang Authority.

The terms in the agreement included:

a) the size of the land being 999.5 acres or 43,538,200 sq ft;

b) the purchase price for the land being RM25 per sq ft amounting to a total of RM1,088,456,000;

c) the repayment period being based on a “deferred payment” of 15 years with an interest rate of 7.5 per cent per annum (total RM720,014,600).

Dr Ling is accused of deceiving the Cabinet into giving its consent to the land purchase according to the terms by dishonestly hiding the fact that the valuation by the Valuation and Property Service Department, Ministry of Finance on the land was RM25 per sq ft for a repayment period of 15 years, including coupon/interest that could be charged for the repayment period.

As such, he had purposely induced the Cabinet to give its consent to the purchase, whereas the Cabinet would not have given its consent if the fact had been told to the Cabinet.

According to the charge, the fraud was committed with the knowledge that he (Dr Ling) could cause a wrongful loss to the Malaysian government, where he had an interest in the transaction pertaining to the fraud and he was bound under the law to protect it.

On the principal charge under Section 418 of the Penal Code, Dr Ling faces a jail term of up to seven years, and a fine, or both upon conviction.

On the alternative charge, Dr Ling is accused of cheating the cabinet by dishonestly hiding similar facts at the same place and time, under Section 417 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to five years, or a fine, or both upon conviction.

When asked by the intrepreter whether he understood the charge and whether he pleaded guilty or otherwise, Dr Ling replied that he understood the charge and pleaded “not guilty”.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, who was leading the prosecution team, suggested that the court set bail at RM1 million.

He said the charge against Dr Ling was a bailable offence and there was no need for the former minister to surrender his travel document.

Defence counsel Datuk R R Sethu had no objection on the quantum of bail.

He applied to the court for a month mention date as he said Dr Ling was in public service for a while.

Included in the prosecution team were the Head of the Prosecution Division, Datuk Tun Majid Tun Hamzah, Dzulkifli Ahmad and Manoj Kurup.

Dr Ling, who was not handcuffed, arrived for the hearing at 4.36pm in a blue Honda Accord car.

He was accompanied by his wife, Toh Puan Ena Ling and immediate family members as well as several policemen.

He entered the court building at 4.45pm and immediately went to sit in the dock for the accused.

The proceedings lasted half-an-hour.

After the proceedings, Dr Ling, who declined comment, was taken to the bail counter located on the ground floor of the court building.

He was subsequently seen leaving the counter at 5.30pm. — Bernama