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As soon as he helmed the presidency and became transport minister last year, Ong had commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers for an audit on PKFZ and then a special task force to look into the culpability of the main players as well as how the Port Klang Authority (PKA) could recoup its losses and make the free zone a success. His recommendation of accountant Datuk Lee Hwa Beng as PKA chairman was well-received although the verdict is still out on his choice of Lim Thean Shiang as PKA general manager. (Lim quit amid speculation of a falling out between him and Ong).

Meanwhile, no stone must be left unturned in investigating claims made by several PKFZ players that Ong himself has been compromised. At the same time the tables must be turned if these accusations are not only unprovable but false and malicious.

More importantly, for the sake of good governance, one hopes that there is no truth to the talk that Ong paid the ultimate price for going against the populist wishes from within the ruling coalition to seek more "acceptable" solutions to the PKFZ affair. Solutions which will not harm certain individuals in the party Ong represents, as well as its partners.

Whatever the case may be, one must remember that Ong’s efforts had the endorsement of the prime minister – himself under pressure from within to close the book on PKFZ and write off the free zone.

Kudos to Datuk Seri Najib Razak for resisting these attempts. One sympathises with the prime minister for the fine balancing act he has to play. Although he is answerable to his party, he is ultimately accountable to the people. Which is why, one is confident that he will do the right thing. It has after all come this far, a U-turn will be disastrous to the public good as well as political credibility.

The attorney-general (A-G) has had a look at the special task force report and it is understood he has made his observations. Let us wait and see what the super task force headed by the chief secretary to the government and which the A-G is a member of will conclude. One can only hope that it will be in the public interest and that those responsible will be brought to book.

As Ong himself had said in an interview with this writer and Citizen Nades last month, the investigations and conclusions to the PKFZ scandal must be made a template on how future investigations on wastage and misuse of public funds are conducted.

The aftermath of PKFZ has seen too many casualties with the end of many careers – deserved or otherwise. However, the most hurt has been the public trust. Hopefully, they were all not in vain.

Terence hopes the truth over the PKFZ affair will still be relentlessly pursued, with politics not being a factor in safeguarding people’s money and making those entrusted with it, accountable. He is deputy editor special reports & investigations and can be reached at terence@thesundaily.com and followed on twitter @ TerencetheSUN.