KUALA LUMPUR: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was charged with two counts of corruption, need not take leave from his post, the DAP central executive committee has affirmed.
“There is no question of conflict of interest as Lim has no influence or control over the prosecution,” the CEC said after a meeting here yesterday.
It said it “expresses its full and unflinching support” for Lim to continue leading the party as its secretary-general.
Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow had said on Thursday that there was no need for Lim to stand down as CM or resign, saying the charges against him were baseless.
Lim, who attended the CEC meeting, said DAP would not organise any street protests to challenge his corruption charges.
“We are not going to hold any street demonstrations, but I do not think that you should underestimate the spontaneous reactions of the public,” he told reporters.
On Thursday, Lim claimed trial to using his position as a public servant to obtain gratification for himself and his wife Betty Chew by approving an application by Magnificent Emblem to convert two lots of agricultural land in the southwest district for residential purposes during a state planning committee meeting on July 18, 2014.
He also denied another charge of using his position to obtain gratification by purchasing his house from businesswoman Phang Li Koon at RM2.8mil, which was below the property’s market value of RM4.27mil on July 28, 2015.
Phang, 44, was slapped with an abetment charge for allegedly selling the bungalow on Pinhorn Road to Lim on July 28, 2015, at below its actual market value.
Meanwhile, Penang DAP has ended its “RM10 in solidarity with Guan Eng” donation drive after having achieved its RM1mil target.
Chow said the party had received a total of RM1,009,000 from its supporters as of 2pm yesterday after launching the donation drive at 5pm on Thursday.
He said the party had set the target at RM1mil, which was the bail amount Lim had to post after being charged.
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