TYCOON Ting Pek Khiing will have to submit a fresh proposal for his RM30 billion mega-property development off Langkawi island to the Kedah government, Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir said today.

A similar proposal was made during his first term as MB of the state’s Barisan Nasional administration, but it was not followed through, said Mukhriz.

No new proposal had been received of late, he said, in response to news of the controversial tycoon’s announcement yesterday that he would build the New Langkawi City project comprising 30,000 high-end condominium units, commercial centre and berthing facilities for ocean liners and yachts.

“The announcement is strange because the project has not been proposed, discussed or considered, what more approved by the state government,” Mukhriz said in a statement today.

He said Ting’s first proposal was not followed through with the deposit required for projects of that size.

Mukhriz, who was a BN menteri besar from 2013 to 2016, said the original proposal was no longer under consideration.

“Any new proposal has to be raised officially for the state government’s consideration. The state government will have to abide by rules and guidelines on project development as well as evaluate proposals for their social, environmental and economic impact.”

Ting said yesterday his New Langkawi City on 81ha of reclaimed land would be built by a group of his companies but did not name them. The project has reportedly been on the cards for 20 years. 

The Sarawak-born businessman was once declared a bankrupt and is best known for his controversial Bakun Dam project in 1994, during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first tenure as prime minister.

His company Ekran Bhd was awarded the construction contract for the dam but never completed it after running into financial difficulties. The dam was eventually sold to the Sarawak government, a move which critics called a bailout.

Ting’s association with Dr Mahathir began in 1991, when he impressed the then prime minister by building a hotel on Langkawi in a record 100 days for one of Dr Mahathir’s pet events, the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition.

Since Ting’s announcement about his New Langkawi City project yesterday, some pro-BN Twitter users have highlighted the alleged cronyism of Dr Mahathir.

Dr Mahathir earlier today said it was up to the Kedah government to vet the project. – June 1, 2018.