KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — The Attorney-General (AG) might as well withdraw from prosecuting anyone over the multibillion ringgit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal to save more money and spare witnesses the hassle of going to court, Datuk Lee Hwa Beng said today.

The former Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairman made a wry referral to the reason cited by Attorney-General’s Chamber (AGC) yesterday when it chose to drop its three cheating charges against Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, which led to the former transport minister’s acquittal at the High Court.

“Should also drop the other 2 cases, i.e former PKA GM-OC Phang and Stephen Aboks (KDSB COO) /Bernard Tan (architect),” he said in a text message to The Malay Mail Online. 

He was referring to the three key remaining personalities who have been indicted over the scandal: former PKA general manager OC Phang, PKFZ turnkey contractor, Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Steven Abok, and project architect Bernard Tan Seng Swee.

“Will save my time & others who have to be witnesses, taxpayers monies and all those involved can move forward,” Lee said.

He added: “Also not fair to them as the other 2 dropped.” 

Phang was charged in a Klang Sessions Court in December 2010, along with Abok and Tan, of BTA Architect, with three counts of criminal breach of trust and cheating amounting to about RM380 million.

Also charged was former KDSB project director Law Jenn Dong, for allegedly making 24 fraudulent claims totalling RM116.85 million.

If convicted, she faces a maximum of 20 years’ jail and a fine on each charge.

However, Phang’s trial, as well as the others, has been stayed pending the High Court’s disposal of Dr Ling’s case. 

A former Selangor state lawmaker, Lee was instrumental in a 2008 independent audit on the controversial PKFZ project, which was ordered by the then transport minister, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

Lee also said the High Court’s decision was not “unexpected”, noting that another former transport minister, Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, was also similarly acquitted of cheating the government over the PKFZ scandal last October.

The prosecution had then declined to appeal Dr Ling’s acquittal.

Dr Ling had pitched the idea to create a free trade zone at the Port Klang area and turn it into a regional integrated cargo distribution and industrial park in 1997, when he was then the transport minister.

It was originally to have cost RM1.1 billion, but the figure later grew to RM4.6 billion in 2007, before an audit by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers commissioned by Ong in 2008 showed that the total cost, including interest payments, was projected to hit RM12.5 billion.