Liong Sik should identify whether Najib was the “influential person” who put pressure on him to vacate his position as Chairman of UTAR when he was charged with corruption in the PKFZ scandal

China Press today carried an interview with former MCA President and former Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik on his accusation that he was slapped with corruption charges in the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal by the Attorney-General when there was insufficient evidence against him, reiterating that the Attorney-General did not respect Chinese leaders in government.

Malaysians are still waiting for responses to this very serious accusation both from the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail and the new MCA leadership.

In his interview with China Press today, Liong Sik alleged that “a very influential person” had put pressure on him to vacate his position as Chairman of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) when he was charged with corruption in the PKFZ scandal.

Liong Sik did not name this “very influential person”.

As Liong Sik has revealed such an incident, the Malaysian public are entitled to know the identity of this “very influential person” who tried to pressure him to step down as UTAR Chairman when he was charged with corruption in July 2010.

Such a “very influential person” is unlikely to be the MCA President who by that time was held by Dr. Chua Soi Lek after beating Ong Tee Keat in the three-cornered battle for MCA President on March 28, 2010 which also involved another former MCA President Ong Ka Ting.

The process of elimination leaves the likely candidate for the “very influential person” who pressured him to step down as UTAR President to only one person – the Prime Minister Datuk Najib Razak.

Liong Sik should state whether it was Najib who was the “very influential person” who tried to get him to step down as UTAR Chairman or Najib himself should clarify this riddle publicly.

Lim Kit Siang DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Gelang Patah