KAMPAR: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat says certain people should not think of the Government as an automated teller machine (ATM).

Taking a swipe at Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Ong said the company had a right to file a suit against him, but it would still need to settle the billing differences of up to RM1bil involving the company and the Port Klang Free Zone.

“It is his right to file the suit ... He (Tiong) has said corporate figures like himself should not be treated as ATMs.

“Likewise, certain people should not think of the Government as an ATM,” he said after opening the 6th Malaysian Sinology conference at the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) here.

Ong said he would also file his suit against Tiong in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

“This is my commitment. I call that fitnah (slander) and as with the Malays, I consider fitnah very serious,” he said.

Ong said he would sue Tiong for making allegations that he had received RM10mil from him.

“We will get to the bottom of things, especially on unsubstantiated claims made by Kuala Dimensi as revealed by the Port Klang Authority special task force,” he added.

On claims that the bonds issued to finance the project were among the reasons why the cost of the project ballooned from RM2.5bil to RM4.6bil, Ong said the reasoning was not that simple.

“I will however not delve into it today,” he said, adding that the report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the PKA had systematically listed out the reasons.

On the statement by party deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek that the party should not be involved in the personal feud between Ong and Tiong, Ong said: “There is nothing personal. I have no personal dealings.”

On another matter, Ong said a developer had agreed to donate 20ha of land in Ulu Langat in Selangor to Utar.