KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said today he did not wish to carry on as finance minister if he was only chosen because he was ethnically Chinese.

The former Penang chief minister said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir had chosen him because of his ability to turn around Penang state government’s financial performance.

"I don’t want to be Finance Minister if I’m chosen just because I’m Chinese,” the Bagan MP said at an Air Putih DAP thanksgiving event in Penang, as reported on his Facebook page.

"I’m Malaysian, I’m not Chinese. You must choose me on the basis of my capability that I can deliver.”

Lim also thanked Penangites for helping Pakatan Harapan to win big in the election.

"This gives me great hope because the people of Penang had shown that they want a new Malaysia. They want leaders who can work.

"This is a very heavy responsibility and we will fight for you every day to make sure we will have better country for our children,” said the Air Putih assemblyman.

Since taking the post, Lim had train his sights on the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s mismanagement, which he said had contributed to the country’s ailing financial status.