KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — The acquittal of Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy over the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal was greeted with acerbic remarks by former transport minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat today, who pointedly suggested the government was trying to save money by ending its prosecution early.

Ong, who initiated the Ministry of Transport investigation that blew open the scandal that could cost taxpayers over RM12 billion, also said in apparent jest that authorities’ failure to hold anyone responsible in the matter justified his removal from the head of MCA and the ministry.

“I presume that the dropping of the charges of cheating against Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy (perceived as something different from an acquittal in my shallow knowledge of laws) perhaps was a ‘well thought through’ decision in line with the recent government’s austerity measures.

“The Attorney-General might want to save public funds for the Rakyat (after having digested the evidences and representation from the defendant’s counsels) by avoiding a lengthy and expensive trial that might potentially result in an ultimate acquittal,” the former MCA president said in a statement today.

But Ong also said the signs heralding Chan’s acquittal were already there, when chairman of Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) — the turnkey contractor at the centre of the port project scandal — Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing was made special envoy to East Asia, which carries ministerial status.

“... many Malaysians who know that all ministerial level appointments must first have the appointees vetted through by the MACC, would likely draw the conclusion that DS Tiong too has had his ‘ clean bill of integrity’ passed as far as PKFZ scandal is concerned, thus triggering the doubts if the then public outcry lingering over the issue were a mere ‘ fabrication’,” Ong added, using the initials of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

Chan was acquitted today after the prosecution withdrew its case against the former transport minister over the charges of fraud involving the PKFZ.

According to Chan’s lawyer, Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, the prosecution decided to drop the charges after considering his client’s application to strike out the case.

In October, another former MCA president and transport minister, Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik was also acquitted of cheating charges over the purchase of land for the PKFZ.

The prosecution had then declined to appeal his acquittal.

Dr Ling had pitched the idea for the PKFZ in 1997, when he was then transport minister.

It was originally to have cost RM1.1 billion but this 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.

With Chan’s acquittal today, the only people who remain on trial over the scandal are former Port Klang Authority general manager OC Phang, KDSB chief executive Steven Abok, and architect Bernard Tan Seng Swee.