PKFZ gives Government avenue to curb graft

(The Star) KUALA LUMPUR: Developments in the controversial Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project have given the Barisan Nasional Government its best opportunity to walk the talk in wiping out corruption, abuse of power and mismanagement.

Former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin said this on Saturday in a front page exclusive report in China Press.

Daim said it was a good move to disclose the PKFZ report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as there was nothing to hide.

“The more important aspect is follow-up action; to punish those who flouted the rules.

“PKFZ is a good project. But due to a lack of monitoring it has ended up like this today.

“The Government can’t let the problem remain hanging like this. It should not let those who have done wrong to continue with their actions,’’ he said in calling for stern action to be taken against the culprits.

“Only with that can the Barisan Government win back the people’s confidence,’’ he added.

Daim said that declaring the PwC report public was an unprecedented move but a good one: “In the past, the people have never witnessed those who abused their power face the music.”

He noted wryly that as more and more people were making police reports on virtually any problem nowadays, the law was kept busy.

While the Government had taken the first step by declaring the PwC report public, Daim said the people were waiting to see the end result – who had flouted the law and who would face the music.

“It has no reason to stop (its probe) and cannot stop at the moment. There should be an answer to all these.”

Both the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and police, including the Public Accounts Committee, have also stepped in to investigate and it would be best for all of them to come to a conclusion, especially when this involves public funds, he said.