Chan Kong Choy acquitted in PKFZ case

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Transport Minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy has been acquitted by the High Court here over cheating charges in the Port Klang Free Zone case in 2011.

Chan was acquitted after the prosecution withdrew the charges against him Monday, after the Attorney-General's Chambers reviewed letter of representation by the defence.

He was represented by Datuk Tan Hock Chuan while Datuk Nordin Hassan was the deputy public prosecutor.

On Feb 28, 2011, Chan was charged with three counts of cheating then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi by deceiving him into approving Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) as the turnkey developer for the RM1.9bil transport hub in the Pulau Indah Free Zone and renovation works at the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) site, between 2004 and 2006.

Chan, 58, allegedly concealed the fact that the project would be funded by a KDSB bond through Transhipment Megahub Berhad, supported by himself as Transport Minister.

He was charged with committing the offences at the fourth floor of the Prime Minister's Office, Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya.

The charge, under Section 417 of the Penal Code, carries a five-year imprisonment or fine or both, upon conviction.

On Oct 25, former Transport Minister Tun Ling Liong Sik was freed by a High Court here from a charge of cheating the Government and the Cabinet involving the purchase of a 335.8ha land totalling RM1.08bil for the PKFZ project.