Dr Ling withdraws representation to review purchase price

Former transport minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, who has been charged in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) case, withdrew his representation to review the charges in relation to the land's purchase price.

His lawyer, Wong Kian Kheong, withdrew the representation dated Nov 21 2012, with regards to the land purchase price and calculation of discounted cash flow, to enable the trial to resume after it was postponed several times following the application of two representations.

However, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah applied for a postponement of the hearing saying the prosecution needed more time to consider the other representation dated Oct 9 2012, also for a review of the charges.

The representation was submitted after former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and accountant Mok Chew Yin testified as defence witnesses.

"It's only fair that we have sufficient time to consider the representation in an effective and comprehensive manner," he said.

Judge Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi allowed Tun Abdul Majid's application and set Feb 18 to resume the trial.

Dr Ling, who was transport minister for 17 years from 1986, is charged with cheating the government by not disclosing to the Cabinet, an additional interest rate of 7.5 per cent per annum on the purchase price of the land for the PKFZ project, knowing that it had been fixed at RM1,088,456,000 by the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH), based on RM25 psf, inclusive of the coupon/interest rates.

He also faces two alternative (amended) charges of cheating and intentionally not disclosing to the Cabinet that the 7.5 per cent per annum was an additional interest rate on the land price.

He is alleged to have committed the offences at the fourth floor of the Prime Minister's Office, Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya, between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002.

Dr Ling was called to enter his defence on March 9 2012 and so far four witnesses have testified including himself and Dr Mahathir.