Charged with two counts of corruption, Lim Guan Eng strikes defiant tone
PENANG — The Malaysian authorities on Thursday (June 30) charged senior federal opposition leader Lim Guan Eng with two counts of corruption, a move government critics say is part of a crackdown on those opposed to Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration.
PENANG — The Malaysian authorities on Thursday (June 30) charged senior federal opposition leader Lim Guan Eng with two counts of corruption, a move government critics say is part of a crackdown on those opposed to Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration.
“I am all right,” a smiling Lim told reporters as he arrived at the court. Lim, who is the secretary-general of opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Chief Minister of Penang, pleaded not guilty to both charges.
He was granted RM1 million (S$338,100) bail. He is due to return to court on Sept 22 when trial dates are expected to be fixed and faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted.
“BN (Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition) can prosecute me but it will not kill my passion to free Malaysia from corruption,” he said yesterday in a defiant statement after he was granted bail. “BN can victimise me but will not crush my spirit to free Malaysia from those who steal our children’s future.”
Leaders from the Pakatan Harapan opposition pact condemned the legal action. DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang (Lim’s father) said it was the latest in concerted efforts “to destroy the opposition and defend Najib’s political position”.
Mr Azmin Ali, the Chief Minister of the state of Selangor and deputy president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, an opposition party, criticised the swift action in handling Lim’s case amid the “innumerable reports” lodged against Mr Najib. Mr Azmin also called on the opposition to come together and focus on its struggles.
“BN can humiliate me by unnecessarily detaining me overnight but will not succeed in changing white to black and black to white. Right cannot become wrong and wrong cannot become right,” Lim said in the statement.
He was kept overnight at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC’s) Penang headquarters in George Town after the authorities picked him up on Wednesday evening from his office.
“BN will not break my party’s unity ... If BN feels that they can bend or break me by arresting me, they are wrong! I will die standing than live on bended knees,” he added.
The ruling party has called for Lim’s resignation as Penang’s Chief Minister, but the DAP’s Penang Chapter said yesterday that Lim will remain in charge pending the outcome of the trial.
Dr Wong Chin Huat, head of political and social analysis at Penang Institute, a public policy think-tank, told TODAY that the high-handed manner Lim’s case was handled had angered many Malaysians.
“The MACC and AGC (Attorney-General’s Office) have little credibility in the public’s eyes, more so after the change in leadership of both recently and last year related to the 1MDB investigation,” he said, referring to state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which was at the centre of a corruption investigation linked to Mr Najib.
Dr Wong said that if Lim was convicted for corruption, this would likely make him a martyr in the eyes of more than half of Malaysians. “If Lim’s charge is followed by more prosecution of more opposition leaders under one law or another, Lim’s martyr image will only loom larger.”
Lim was charged in relation to investigations over his purchase of a house, which was allegedly linked to the sale of state land.
He was charged under Section 23 of the MACC Act and Section 165 of the Penal Code.
Under Section 23, he is accused of using his public office or position to obtain gratification for himself and his wife, Ms Betty Chew, by approving Magnificent Emblem’s application to convert agricultural land into a residential one. In return, Lim is alleged to have purchased his house from Phang Li Koon, a director of Magnificent Emblem, for RM2.8 million, which was below the property’s market value of RM4.27 million in July last year.
Phang has been charged with abetment under Section 109 of the Penal Code. The charges come as Mr Najib tightens his grip on power despite being battered by the scandals surrounding 1MDB for the past year.
Despite the scandal, Mr Najib has consolidated his power within the United Malays National Organisation, the ruling party that is part of BN.
BN also won against the opposition during the recent Sarawak state elections and twin by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar. The victories took place amid the opposition’s divide over whether the Islamic penal code should be implemented in the state of Kelantan.
Observers have suggested that snap elections are on the cards.
Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute deputy director Dr Ooi Kee Beng told TODAY that even if Lim is not convicted or locked up, the damage done to the opposition will be quite substantial.
“Much of their appeal has depended on the idea of hope, and of something transparent and new. Even by leaving the case undecided, much uncertainty can be sowed in the opposition camp,” he noted.
“One has to speculate if all these moves are just to silence critics or if there is a greater purpose. That would of course be snap general elections, perhaps already this year.” AGENCIES