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No. 4779 PP 2644/12/2009 (023092)

Friday
June 12, 2009
TELLING IT AS IT IS www.sun2surf.com

» Najib: Singapore keen on third bridge pg2 » Ahmadinejad rails against rivals pg8 News without
borders
Dateline: n
Washingto pg18
ALL PKA’S DEALINGS REGARDING PKFZ TO COME UNDER SCRUTINY

Probe on political links

by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
follow good governance rules and regula-
tions.
Ong also gave a task force two months to
Low is assisted by Nik Mohd Hasyudeen
Yusoff in the committee. Nik Mohd Hasyudeen
is the Malaysian Institute of Accountants
Lim Chee Wee, a member of the task force
and partner of legal firm Skrine and Co, said:
“We are unable to add to what the (transport)
ETALING JAYA: All dealings of the Port

P
Klang Authority in connection with the
controversial Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ)
project will come under scrutiny, to detect
political interference that could have allowed
questionable decisions to be made.
Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan, Transpar-
ency International-Malaysia president and
newly-appointed chairman of the PKA ad hoc
corporate governance committee, told theSun
that although the PKFZ is a business enter-
prise, “we have to study the extent of political
involvement in it”.
“PKA has a direct influence on the PKFZ
project and from the government’s point of
view, politics should not be involved,” he said,
adding that the committee will clearly state
all possible “misdeeds” on PKA’s part in its
rectify the wrongs and pursue legal remedies.
Low said his committee will study what was
“missing” in the past and the “deficiencies”.
Areas to be covered include possible conflict
of interest and the authority’s limits.
He said some things could also have been
done by by-passing the board and “we have to
determine how it happened”.
“Another thing to consider is the relation-
ship between PKA with its vendors and also
the procurement system,” he said.
He added that the committee will also check
on the good governance culture in PKA, and
look at ways and means to implement a better
culture.
The WHO yesterday raised the A(H1N1) flu
president and chief executive officer of Inno-
vastra Sdn Bhd.
He is responsible for the recent launch of
the Audit Assurance Standard Board and the
Ethics Standard Board, to ensure high quality
of accounting standards.
When contacted, Nik Mohd Hasyudeen said
it was paramount to look at ways to move the
PKFZ project forward and devise a plan that
will enable it to make profits.
Meanwhile, a member of the special task force
set up to recommend to the government ways
to correct the mistakes and pursue appropriate
legal actions, declined to elaborate on its terms
of reference.
minister has said, and as legal practitioners,
we are unable to comment at this stage.”
Lim is assisting the task force chief Vinayak
P. Pradhan, a senior lawyer and partner at
Skrine. He is a former commissioner with the
United Nations Compensation Commission
and permanent Court of Arbitration member.
The others on the task force are Chin Kwai Fatt,
PwC managing director; Lim San Peen, the
senior executive director of PwC; and Frank
H.H. Lim, a quantity surveyor and building cost
consultant.
» PAC to query MACC
on probe Page 2

WHO declares
report. infection first detected in Mexico from phase 5 to
The PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit 6. This means the outbreak has progressed to a
report released on May 27 had noted that the
full pandemic involving the world at large.
PKA board, which was represented by some
notable and experienced people, lacked over-
sight and governance over the project, and also
that in several matters, the board had limited
PA N D E M I C
INFLUENZA
Sustained Widespread
human to human
H1N1 pandemic
PHASES human infection Possibility
involvement in their implementation. GENEVA: The World Health “At this time, the global as-
For instance, key agreements were not submit- Predominantly transmission of recurrent Disease Organisation declared the sessment is that we are see-
animal infections; events activity at
ted to the board for approval, and variation orders Phases 5-6 first flu pandemic of the 21st ing a moderate pandemic.”
totalling RM62.5 million were accepted by the few human seasonal century yesterday, urging Acting on the recom-
infections PANDEMIC levels
PKA management without referring to the Phase Post countries to shore up defences mendation of flu experts, the
board. Also several government checks and 4 peak against the virus which is “not WHO reiterated its advice to
balances were bypassed, the PwC report had Phases Post stoppable” but has proved its 193 member countries not
said. 1-3 pandemic mainly mild so far. to close borders or impose
Such disclosures had invited opposition The United Nations agency travel restrictions to halt the
parties to go to town with allegations of politi- raised its pandemic flu alert to movement of people, goods
cal involvement, damaging the government’s PHASE 1 No viruses PHASE 4 Verified human-to-human phase 6 on a six-point scale, and services.
reputation, in recent days. circulating among animals transmission able to cause community- indicating the first influenza The move to phase 6
So far, only former PKA chairman Datuk causing infections in humans level outbreaks. Significant increase in pandemic since 1968 is under reflects the fact that the dis-
Chor Chee Heung (who is a deputy minister) risk of pandemic way. ease, widely known as swine
PHASE 2 Animal influenza “This is a very important flu, was spreading geographi-
has come forward on several occasions to
virus causes infection in PHASE 5 Human-to-human transmission
say he had never deviated from his moral and challenging day for all of cally, but does not indicate
standard and accountability. humans, and is considered in at least two countries in one WHO region. us. It is important because we how virulent it is.
potential pandemic threat Strong signal pandemic imminent will be raising our pandemic A unanimous experts’ deci-
The corporate governance committee
was tasked by Transport Minister Datuk PHASE 3 Influenza causes PHASE 6 alert level to level 6,” WHO sion was based on an overall
Seri Ong Tee Keat to put in place a long- sporadic cases in people, Virus spreads to another Director-General Dr Margaret assessment in the eight most
term control mechanism and measures to but no significant human- country in different WHO region. Chan told reporters on a
ensure the PKA board and management to-human transmission teleconference. » Turn to Page 6
Source: WHO Picture: Associated Press © GRAPHIC NEWS