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theSun | TUESDAY AUGUST 18 2009 11

speak up!

The prudence and


diligence of ‘ordinary
men of business’
TODAY nine men will sit around report which was published the
an oval-shaped oak table in the following year:
boardroom of the Port Klang “... the authority does not have
Authority (PKA) to study and sufficient financial resources to
adopt yet another report – the meet this obligation. The PKA’s
fourth in three months – on mat- income before tax was between
ters related to the Port Klang Fee RM500,000 and RM21.19 mil-
Zone (PKFZ) scandal. To answer lion, whilst income after tax
questions from these nine men was between a deficit of RM1.52
will be a team of lawyers headed million to a surplus of RM16.31
by Vinayak Pradhan, which was million. Based on PKA’s financial
assigned the task of digging into CitizenNades position, we are of the view that
the wrongdoings and to recover the KPA needs to look for sources
monies which had been disbursed by R. Nadeswaran of financing to meet the capital
to various parties. The first instal- obligation of RM2.90 billion from
ment of this was delivered last 2007 to 2017.”
week and today, hopefully, will be the last Two years later, in August 2006, Jafza
and final episode of this shameful chapter in international senior vice-president Chuck
the annals of our country’s history. Heath’s letter to then Transport Minister
Elsewhere, perhaps 40-50km away, yet Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said it all:
another sideshow may be taking place. “There has been a total lack of government
Someone may be organising a press confer- planning ... which has seen the most funda-
ence announcing or questioning yet another mental issues being considered and resolved
decision. The importance of the board meet- only after the event rather than before.
ing and its decisions may be side-lined and The lack of transparency from the start
reduced to insignificance because yet another had also hampered the development of the
bombshell – unsubstantiated though – will free trade zone, with Jafza not having access
be dropped to distract from more important to relevant details of the main development
issues. The principle is that two wrongs don’t contract. The board of directors’ structure has
make a right. However, some do not seem to not provided any fundamental support and
accept this. First, it was political donations, in fact has drawn us into political issues that
then private jets followed by an illegal ap- have a negative impact on the development.
pointment. What’s next? Will it be a juicy sex The Malaysian political and economic land-
scandal taken out from some B-grade X-rated scape has too many vested interests seeking
movie or a tear-jerker from the studios of involvement and control in this project. Un-
Bollywood or a “whodunit” thriller? We wait fortunately, without radical surgery in cutting
with bated breath. out the above obstacles, we feel this project is
Back to the boardroom and the facts doomed to failure.”
and figures before the directors will be the Prophetic words by these two gentlemen
involvement and the culpability of direc- who spoke the truth and flagged the future
tors and senior management personnel of problems. Since then, the costs have bal-
the PKA and PKFZ. The report will itemise looned and so have the problems. So, the
their supposed wrongdoings and the specific nine wise men who sit today, you will have
clauses in the various legislation which had to decide how you are going to go about
been breached. This report, needless to say, making those responsible to be accountable
will be the basis of yet another for the mess they created by
police report and perhaps, yet their indiscretion.
another visit by its chairman, The principle is You have to collectively tell
Datuk Lee Hwa Beng, to the that two wrongs yourselves: “These reports
offices of the Malaysian Anti- don’t make a right. were ignored deliberately.
Corruption Commission, and No one paid heed to anything
yet another photo opportunity However, some do not – even Treasury regulations.
for news photographers and seem to accept this. They chose to do it their way
camera crews. with total disregard for rules
Right now, some directors and regulations and even
and senior management staff, common sense. Neither did
both present and past, would have consulted they carry out their roles as ‘ordinary men
their lawyers on their status. As a pre-emp- of business’ tasked with managing people’s
tive measure, some serving staff, after having money running into billions. They breached
read the report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the General Orders, they breached provi-
jointly sent a letter to the prime minister stat- sions in the Penal Code and other pieces of
ing that they had signed and certified certain legislation. No one is above the law and that
documents on being directed and were at the law must take it course.”
times “under duress”. There may be some Among you, there are one or two who
truth in it and could certainly be a mitigating feel that they are obligated to certain parties
factor, though it will not absolve them of the (for reasons better known to yourselves) and
blame for the mess the authority is in. hence may want to pull your punches. There
But the most important question repeat- is no place for these sentiments because steal-
edly asked is: What is going to happen? Four ing public money or causing it to be stolen
reports, whose cost could run into several is inexcusable. Do not be distracted by the
hundred thousand ringgit each; reports to sideshows and the antics; you owe a duty to
the MACC, reports to the police and even the taxpayers and if you abdicate from these
a statement in Parliament has taken us no- responsibilities, we can only come to the
where since the precarious financial status conclusion that we have put foxes in charge
of the PKA first made the headlines in this of the chicken coop.
newspaper more than four years ago.
Many fell for the rosy reports of the
“success of the PKFZ” while the impending R. Nadeswaran believes the destination
warnings of a financial catastrophe by the is not in sight but the board of directors
auditor-general were ignored. So, were the can plot the journey to the very end. Five
observations by the project manager – Jebel years to unearth the truth may be five
Ali Free Trade Zone (Jafza) – when it de- years too late, but it’s better late than never.
cided to pull out. He is editor (special and investigative report-
The auditor-general had remarked on ing) at theSun. He can be reached at: citizen-
the rocky road ahead for the PKA in his 2003 nades@thesundaily.com.

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