KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing’s alleged RM10 million donation to Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat was handed over in three cash installments of RM5 million, RM1 million and RM4 million, the China Press reported today.
The Chinese-language daily said the details were obtained from a copy of the police report made by Tiong against Ong last week.
According to the report, Ong had asked Tiong for a RM5 million donation in 2008.
Tiong claimed that the RM5 million in cash was put inside two briefcases and accompanied by two of his staff, he had delivered money to Ong’s friend at the Petaling Jaya Hilton Hotel.
A few weeks later, Tiong was approached again by Ong for another RM1 million.
This time the money was delivered to a representative of Ong at the car park opposite Armada Hotel in Petaling Jaya.
Towards the end of 2008, Tiong agreed once again to donate RM4 million to Ong.
But this time, Ong came in his own car to collect the money at a government guesthouse.
The money, Tiong said in the police report, was put inside the boot of Ong’s car, the newspaper reported.
Speaking separately today, Tiong repeated his challenge for Ong to disclose how much he and his wife had in their bank accounts.
He also said that Ong’s decision to sack Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek as deputy president was clearly meant to distract attention from the RM10 million issue.
Ong filed a RM500 million lawsuit against Tiong this week after denying the allegations.
But Tiong appears ready to go to court and has said he has witnesses to prove he gave RM10 million to Ong. MCA officials say they have no record of the money.
Tiong also denied today that he was backing Dr Chua to topple Ong.
“If I am so good with Chua then I should have originally donated the RM10 million to Chua and not to Ong.”
Ong has found it hard to brush aside his once close ties with Tiong.
Although he has denied taking RM10 million, Ong has admitted to taking free rides on private jets owned by Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB), the company owned by Tiong.
KDSB was the company being probed in relation to the scandal-hit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) when Ong took rides on the company aircraft.
But in an attempt to burnish his image as a leader that did not tolerate wrongdoings, his ministry blamed Tiong’s KDSB for the PKFZ mess. – MalaysianInsider
