Police to quiz minister over leaked PKFZ papers
(Malaysian Mirror) – Police will soon question several individuals, including a cabinet minister, over a leaked memorandum on the multi-billion ringgit Port Klang Free Zone financial debacle.
“Police will call those believed to be involved, including a minister,” Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan told reporters on Tuesday.
The latest twist in the ongoing PKFZ scandal came to light after top blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin published the ‘cabinet papers’ on his website.
It consisted of an 18-page memorandum from the Finance Ministry seeking retrospective approval from the cabinet for a RM4.6 billion soft loan to cover the massive cost over-runs in the PKFZ project.
Public uproar
That created an immediate stir, implying that top government leaders including Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had been kept apprised, and consequently may have given their tacit approval for the debacle.
It also raises questions as to why they did not immediately suspend the project and order a high-level probe.
PKFZ is an integrated 1,000 acre commercial and industrial zone located adjacent to the national gateway and transhipment hub in Port Klang.
It is the government’s largest port investment ever. However due to massive cost overruns that independent auditors have blamed on weak governance and questionable practice, the original development budget has ballooned multiple folds and and could hit RM12.5 billion if funding undertaken for the project is not revamped soon.
Amid the ensuing public uproar, Najib has been forced into damage control mode, promising swift action against the whistle-blowers. Independent auditors and a special cabinet task force has already been formed to sieve through the project proper.
"Anyone who exposes cabinet papers will be subjected to police investigations and action under the Official Secrets Act will depend on the investigations," Najib had said late last week.
