“My advice to Tan Sri Ting is: ‘Get well and best to stay retired. Please help the government by not tarnishing its image.’ If he is serious, let his children do the project. But show the money,” said Daim who is chairman of the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) in an interview with The Star.
Ting, who undertook some mega projects during Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s previous administration, including the Bakun hydro-electric dam in Sarawak, was reported to have suffered a stroke and became a bankrupt several years ago.
He re-emerged last week to announce a plan to develop the Langkawi New City project on reclaimed land.
However, Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir said Ting’s proposal submitted between 2013 and 2016 was no longer valid and he would need to make a new proposal for the state government’s consideration, together with a deposit.
Daim told the daily that he hoped former cronies of Mahathir would stay away from the new government.
“I will advise in our (CEP) final report to the government that all projects be awarded by open tender,” he said.
On business contracts with China, Daim said those that seemed tainted and lopsided would be dealt with in a diplomatic way as Beijing is an important friend.
“China is very important to us. We enjoy very close relations, but unfortunately under the previous administration, a lot of China contracts are tainted, difficult to understand and the terms are one-sided,” he said.
“We are talking to them (Beijing) now. I met with Chinese Ambassador Bai Tian. China might have been misled by our fellows.”
The new government of Mahathir has announced the cancellation of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project, which attracted interest from Chinese companies, and its intention to renegotiate the contract on the East Coast Rail Link which is being financed by a Chinese loan.
Daim also disclosed that many government agencies were “bleeding”.
“The total losses incurred by 1MDB and other financial scandals are depressing. Every agency we called showed shocking data. We are trying our best to stop the bleeding,” he was quoted as saying by The Star.
The five-member CEP, named by Mahathir shortly after the general election, has been given 100 days to advise on actions to wipe out corruption, bring back stolen money and how to govern with transparency and accountability.
Other members in the council are former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former Petronas president Hassan Marican, economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram and Hong Kong-based tycoon Robert Kuok.
On the inclusion of Kuok in the CEP, he said: “I have known Robert Kuok since the 1970s. We should be proud to have this distinguished Malaysian, who answered the call of the nation to serve. He has many ideas and insights as to how Malaysia can move forward.”
Daim made it clear that once the CEP report had been submitted to the government after 100 days, he would not stay in the council.
“Once the report goes in, that’s it. It applies to other members – all of us, unless they are offered something else. But I will stay away. In fact, I have stayed away for a long time but because of this election, I came out,” he said.
Referring to Barisan Nasional, Daim said it could not be an effective opposition now as it lacked credibility.
“If you don’t have credibility, people find it difficult to trust you. Up till today, there is no apology coming from any of the leaders in Umno. They are still unrepentant. The stealers of 1MDB money are still in denial. Umno must change,” he said.