Proposal for Guan Eng's charges to be dropped reeks of interference, says MCA

PETALING JAYA: The proposal for Lim Guan Eng’s corruption charges to be dropped reeks strongly of political interference, said Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker (pic).

The MCA Publicity Spokesman said that it would be best if the due process of the law is respected and followed.

“Both institutions of the Attorney-General and the Judiciary must be allowed to discharge their duties without any form of interference,” he said in a statement on Monday (May 21).

"If politicians start giving these institutions certain instructions, then they are no different from what we were before (when political interference was alleged)."

He also urged the Pakatan Harapan government to be transparent and to refrain from interfering or asserting any political pressure on the institutions tasked with carrying out and upholding the law.

Lim’s lawyer Ramkarpal Singh said they would be making representations to the new Attorney-General for the charges to be dropped.

Lim’s case had been postponed to July 30, after High Court Judge Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail fixed the date when the case came up for case management on Monday (May 21).

Lim pleaded not guilty on June 30, 2016, to two counts of alleged corruption over the conversion of agricultural land to residential status and the purchase of a bungalow with land at below market value.

He was charged with using his position as Penang Chief Minister to gain gratification for himself and wife Betty Chew Gek Cheng by approving the conversion of agricultural land in Balik Pulau to a public housing zone for a company, Magnificent Emblem Sdn Bhd.

Lim faces a second charge of using his position to obtain a plot of land and bungalow at No 25, Jalan Pinhorn, on July 28, 2015, from businesswoman Phang Li Koon for RM2.8mil, at below market value.

Lim and businesswoman Phang Li Koon pleaded not guilty to the charges against them on March 26.

Phang’s lawyer Datuk V.Sithambaram said he would also be making a similar representation to the new A-G on the charges against his client.

Ti also spoke about the pardoning of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"It is only right and just that Anwar be pardoned if he has been a political victim.

"However, if the pardon was granted following proof of political victimisation and interference by the Judiciary, then there is an issue here.

"Can we now conclude that Saiful Bukhari Azlan had in fact wronged Anwar by falsely alleging that he was sodomised by him? Based on the new evidence (if any), Saiful should be made to face the law and be punished for his wrongdoings."