Ling: Cabinet decision is a collective responsibility

Former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik, who took the witness stand in his defence, told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that any cabinet decision is a collective responsibility.

Testifying as the first defence witness, Ling said former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in chairing the cabinet meetings, would go around the table to ask his ministers whether they agreed to a particular decision or not.

“The cabinet’s decision is a collective responsibility. He (Mahathir) had stated that if any of the ministers do not approve of a decision, they can resign,” said the longtime transport minister.

Giving an insight into how Mahathir ran the cabinet, Ling (right in photo), who was MCA president from 1986 until 2003, during which time he was also the transport minister, said there would be pre-cabinet meetings in his ministry either on Monday or Tuesday, where senior officers would be called in to formulate transport policies.

“I do not prepare any of the papers or memo as this is prepared by my senior staff who vetted the proposals. During the pre-cabinet meetings which I attended, I would chair, and the deputy minister, parliamentary secretary, secretary-general, deputy secretary-generals and heads of agencies would be present.

“In the meetings I would allow my staff to say whether they agreed to the proposal or want further suggestions or oppose. Upon agreement the proposal would be tabled to the cabinet via the Prime Minister’s Department. The cabinet would then meet on Wednesday morning and this is followed by the post-cabinet meeting.”

He said that in some of the decisions like the Port Klang Free Zone project, it has to involve various ministries and agencies as it may involve the Prime Minister’s Department, Finance Ministry, Economic Planning Unit and the Valuation and Property Services Department.

[More to follow]