KUALA LUMPUR (March 11): The Sessions Court here has ruled that Transmile Group Bhd's former chairman Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, also the former transport minister, needs to testify in court in regard to the irregularities in Transmile Group's accounting.

Here at the KL Sessions Court today, judge Hasbullah Adam made a decision to dismiss Ling's application to set aside the subpoena or summon to testify in the court, deeming the application submitted as having "no merit".

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Hafiz Mohd Yusof told reporters after the proceeding that a cross examination was still being conducted on the accused Transmile founder and former chief executive officer Gan Boon Aun and expected to be continued on April 10.

Mohd Hafiz added that Ling's appearance in court is still unclear, and it depends on the next hearing date.

"As of today, he (Ling) is the only witness that they (defence) want to call. We only know of Gan Boon Aun's intention to call Tun Ling and that's about it," said Mohd Hafiz.

Ling's lawyer Ranjit Singh, however, declined to elaborate the reason to put aside the subpoena or summon to attend the court, which was supposed to be complied with in January 2019

Also present was Gan's lawyer, Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, who declined to speak to the media.

To recap, Gan was charged by the Securities Commission in 2007 for furnishing misleading financial information, and the case is still ongoing. Also in 2004, the Kuok Group bought a 28.5% stake in the company, which was listed in June 1997.

In 2010, Transmile, which revealed stellar earnings back in its financial year ended Dec 31, 2004 (FY04) to FY06 were reported due to massive accounting irregularities, slipped into the Practice Note 17 category and was then suspended and delisted the following year.