KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — Lim Guan Eng accused authorities of selective action today after they began investigating him over a song mocking the Goods and Services Tax (GST) sung in front of children.

The DAP secret-general pointed out that Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor previously attended a school event in Putrajaya where students were made to sing Umno’s anthem, and did not face repercussions.

Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, conceded that the performance in front of minors may not have been appropriate, but insisted the song mocking the GST was unplanned and did not specifically disparage any person or entity.

"Can this police action not be considered at best excessive, and at worst an abuse of power against a political opponent, in the run-up to the general elections?” he said in a statement.

"Is dancing along and mocking GST in an event attended by children a criminal act that requires the police to waste precious resources away from fighting crime?”

It was previously reported that the police were investigating Lim under Communications and Multimedia Act over the event at a low-cost housing complex in Jelutong on March 17.

The offence is punishable by up to a year in prison, a fine of no more than RM50,000 or both, upon conviction.

Lim said that while he was unhappy with the probe, he would provide full cooperation to his investigators.