PKFZ: Dr Ling to know fate Friday

Former Transport minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik who is facing charges of cheating the Malaysian government in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) development project will know his fate this Friday.

Dr Ling, 70, was ordered to enter his defence by Judge Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi on March 9 last year; he closed his case on June 20 this year after calling nine witnesses including former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He stands accused of 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.

Dr Ling is alleged to have committed the offences at Level 4, Prime Minister's Office, Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002.