Project not funded with my money, Sarawak tycoon says

KUCHING (June 8) — Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing (pictured), who was declared bankrupt since 1991, has claimed that the RM30 billion Langkawi New City project would not be funded from his own pockets, but by foreign investors.

Ting was quoted as saying he is just an advisor to the project, which will be undertaken by his group of companies, as reported in The Malay Mail.  

A report in The Edge Financial Daily this morning stated that the Sarawak developer had been issued a warrrant of arrest for failing to attend a public enquiry hearing on June 7. The same order was issued to his wife, Puan Sri Wong Sui Choo.

The hearing was to allow his creditors, with a total claim exceeding RM390 million, to examine his ability to settle the outstanding sums.

The Langkawi project was announced and launched last month, as relevant government agencies like the Department of Environment and Langkawi Development Authority have given their approval to the project, stressed Ting. The documents were submitted to the Kedah government in 2013 when it was under the Barisan Nasional administration.

However, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir had said he did not consider the previous proposal official, as it came without a deposit, adding that the new Pakatan Harapan administration would consequently require a fresh proposal.

In response, Ting told reporters here he would submit the documents and deposit for the multi-billion project tomorrow.  

He claimed that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad “was very keen to have this project in Langkawi”, and the developer has been working on it since 1994.

Ting added that he would comply with the court order to attend the next hearing, set on June 29.