KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Aug 2009: MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat today lodged a police report against Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing over the latter’s claim that he gave Ong RM10 million last year for the party’s activities.
At a press conference at the MCA headquarters here, Ong categorically denied receiving the money and said he would sue Tiong if he did not retract the allegation.
“My lawyers have been instructed to file an injunction to prevent the perpetrators of this grievous misdeed from making further defamatory allegations,” he said.
Ong, who is also Transport Minister, said the report was made at the Cheras police station for the defamatory statement, which was published by Malaysiakini yesterday.
His lawyers will send a letter to Tiong to withdraw the allegation within seven days or face legal action.
“This is the work of people who are out to undermine my integrity and obligations as the minister of transport and president of MCA.
“It is clear that the motive of these individuals is to derail the efforts of the ministry and Port Klang Authority with regards to the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) issue,” he said.
Kuala Dimensi is the turnkey contractor for the PKFZ project which is also the subject of a probe by the Public Accounts Committee.
Tiong, the Bintulu Member of Parliament and Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club chairperson, alleged that the money was handed over in three instalments.
“As the MCA president, I am confident that the party is strong enough to withstand such challenges and efforts to undermine it,” Ong said.
On the claim that he used the company’s private jet five times and incurred US$40,000 in costs, Ong said he used it four times this year.
“Normally, if I can take commercial flights, I will….only if I’m in dire need of such a service due to time constraint or urgency, then as a last resort, I will look for the (private jet) service,” he said.
Ong questioned the company’s honesty in making such a claim, saying if there was any outstanding payment, an invoice could have been sent to the Finance Ministry.
“The onus is on them. If we did not pay, they must tell us,” he added.
He said on one of the trips, he was offered a seat after a function in Kuching. “Even that was spun into something different,” he said. — Bernama
