KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on corruption today noted public concerns over the perceived flawed trial of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik in the PKFZ saga and criticised the prosecution team in its 2012 report.

In a summary statement of the report, which was submitted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday, the PSC strongly urged the prosecution team to be better prepared in high profile cases to avoid a recurrence of what it termed as “shoddy investigation”.

“Some members of the public have questioned the trial because it exposed weaknesses in the investigation and prosecution.

“The PSC hope the investigation involving high profile cases including this (Lim’s trial) can be conducted thoroughly, detailed and holistic from the aspect of evidence gathering and statements from key witnesses so there can be a prima facie before prosecution can be made in court,” said the statement.

Other critics have described the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ (AGC) decision to not challenge Dr Ling’s acquittal as dubious when it appeals even redundant cases.

On October 25, the High Court acquitted Dr Ling of having cheated the government, ruling that the ex-minister’s lawyers had raised reasonable doubt in the prosecution’s case.

The trial started in August 2011, with Dr Ling ordered to enter his defence on March 9 last year while the defence closed its case on June 20 this year.

Dr Ling was Malaysia’s transport minister for 17 years from January 1986 to May 2003.

He was charged in July 2010 with deceiving the Cabinet into approving the land purchase for the PKFZ project, despite knowing that the approval would result in wrongful losses for the government.

The PKFZ project, which was proposed by Dr Ling in 1997, had an initial cost of RM1.1 billion that then ballooned to over RM4.6 billion in 2007.

Besides Dr Ling, a few individuals have since been charged in court, including his successor as transport minister, Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy.

The cheating trial of Chan, a former MCA deputy president, has yet to be heard.