The opposition is not taking its eye from the ball - it wants the Anti-Corruption Agency to first investigate the troubled RM4.6 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal which was recently bailed out by the government.

"When compared to the RM4.6 billion PKFZ bailout scandal, the corruption and mismanagement of millions or tens of millions of ringgit of funds exposed by the 2006 Auditor-General's Report were mere 'chicken-feed'," said Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang.

Lim was referring to the several cases of mismanagement of public funds by a number of ministries involving the purchase of items and equipment costing more than triple their market price.

He said that if there is no probe on the multi-billion-ringgit scandal, it would have sent a message that "that all the public hullabaloo over the AG's report are mere 'sandiwara' and not meant to be taken seriously".

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday that the government would not hinder the ACA from carrying out investigations into the AG's report.

"However, conspicuously absent is any public assurance from Abdullah that the ACA is fully authorised to conduct full and unfettered investigations into the PKFZ scandal, including the former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik and the present minister, Chan Kong Choy," said Lim.

Abuse of powers

He accused both men of abusing their ministerial powers in having unlawfully given government guarantees for the private issue of RM4 billion bonds for the PKFZ project without cabinet approval.

The veteran opposition leader, who is MP for Ipoh Timur, revealed that he had written to Abdullah for an "urgent response" to the scandal and other issues which Lim had raised in Parliament earlier this week.

According to Lim, Parliament cannot wait for two months for the ministerial replies, which is schedule for early November.

On Wednesday, Dewan Rakyat took a 39-day break for the fasting month and Hari Raya holidays, and will reconvene on Oct 22.


SPECIAL REPORT: Poser over mega 'ghost town'