Former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that he was not expecting to be charged when the police recorded his statement on April 1, 2010 in relation to the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project.

Replying Deputy Solicitor-General II Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah, Ling said he thought he was merely assisting investigations in the case.

He said this when asked if he recalls that Supt R Rajagopal had shown him the Transport Ministry's minutes dated Jan 26, 2002 and the letter he sent to then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on June 29, 2002.

L NONE ing said he could not remember having seen the documents when Rajagopal was recording his statement.

“I thought I was assisting the case and did not expect to be charged. I cannot remember being shown such documents,” he said.

Ling, 68, is defending himself against a charge of cheating the government by concealing from the cabinet the existence of an additional 7.5 percent interest rate per annum on the purchase price of the land for the PKFZ project.

He was charged on July 29, 2010, under Section 418 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to seven years in prison, or a fine, or both.

He faces two alternative charges of cheating and intentionally omitting information in his report to the cabinet on the additional interest rate, which carries up to five years’ jail or a fine, or both.

abdul razak baginda altantuya case 040607 tun majid tun hamzah Tun Abdul Majid (right) today described Ling as being evasive in answering his questions under cross-examination.

This happened when he showed Ling documents like the cabinet papers dated Oct 2, 2002, his recommendation to the cabinet dated Oct 29, 2002, the offer made by the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH), and the counter-proposal by Port Klang Authority's general manager OC Phang.

When shown the documents and the calculations involved, Ling said he had allowed the JPPH to do the calculation, as it is the specialist when it comes to valuation.

Tun Abdul Majid said the JPPH valuation of the land was RM21 per square foot and not RM25 as has been stated in the ministry’s notes.

“I find all this confusing,” Ling said, explaining that his job was only to ensure that the land was acquired so that the project could start.

‘Follow recommendations’

He accused Tun Abdul Majid of putting words in his mouth by saying he had promoted the idea of direct acquisition of the land on Oct 2, 2002 when the cabinet had decided on a willing buyer, willing seller basis, for which the price would have been much lower.

Tun Abdul Majid: I put it to you that the RM1.088 million (to buy the land) takes into account the interest and other factors.

azlan Ling: I cannot remember.

Tun Abdul Majid: Shouldn’t the interest of 7.5 per cent per annum, as you stated in the Transport Ministry notes to the cabinet ministers’ meeting, be there?

Ling: I always instructed the officers to follow the JPPH evaluation. This is the department in charge of evaluation and we should follow (its recommendations). If we do so, we can never go wrong.

Tun Abdul Majid: In the ministry's notes, did you or didn’t you explain the JPPH evaluation to the cabinet?

Ling:

As I told you, (as far as) the arithmetic and calculation (are concerned), I let other people work on that.

The hearing continues tomorrow.