GEORGE TOWN, July 1 — Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) and Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders accused the DAP today of practising double standards by allowing Lim Guan Eng to remain as Penang chief minister despite his corruption charges.
PCM vice president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan pointed out that former Selangor chief ministers from BN — the late Datuk Seri Harun Idris and Tan Sri Muhammad Taib, who is now with PKR — had stepped down after they were charged in court.
Harun, the longest serving Selangor mentri besar, resigned in 1976 when he was charged with corruption and abuse of state funds. He was sentenced to six years’ jail.
Muhammad resigned in 1997 when he was charged in Australia over currency irregularities, but he was found not guilty, while another former Selangor mentri besar from BN, Dr Khir Toyo, stepped down as state opposition leader when he was charged with corruption in 2010.
“They are not only practising double standard but triple standard,” Huan said, referring to the DAP.
“So from now on, any civil servant charged with corruption can continue with their jobs and similarly, police officers charged with murder can continue with the exact same position while fighting the case in court,” added the leader of the Penang-based political party.
The former Gerakan vice president also noted that the DAP has always urged BN leaders to step down from their positions even during police investigations against them.
“Now, when a Pakatan fella is charged, they say it’s political prosecution. Of course, they no need to resign or take leave from their position,” he said sarcastically.
Huan said Lim’s failure to resign as Penang chief minister set a poor precedent in Malaysia.
“As a principle of good governance, any public servant who is charged in court of law should step down or step aside immediately,” said the leader of the Penang-based political party.
Lim was charged with abuse of power and corruption at the Penang High Court yesterday over the alleged approval of a rezoning application by Magnificent Emblem to convert agricultural land to residential, as well as over his purchase of his RM2.8 million house from Phang Li Koon at below market value of RM4.27 million.
State opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid told the Penang state government to uphold its Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) principles.
“As a state government that is based on CAT, they should practise it,” she said.
She said as someone in public office, as a matter of convention and a matter of principles, morality and accountability, Lim should either take leave or resign from his post.
“How can they lead a state government that is shadowed by corruption allegations? There is now a shadow of doubt in his leadership,” the Teluk Air Tawar state assemblyman said.
Penang Gerakan also accused the DAP of not practising what it preached.
State Gerakan acting chairman Oh Tong Keong pointed out that the DAP leaders used to criticise former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s former deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“Now, look at them. They are now good friends with Mahathir and Muhyiddin. It’s not just double standard, it’s no standard at all,” he told Malay Mail Online.
He too believed that Lim should consider taking leave from his position until his name is cleared by the courts.
Lim, who claimed trial to two corruption charges, faces a jail term of not more than 20 years and a fine of five times the value of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted for the first charge and up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine and forfeiture of property upon conviction for the second charge.
Penang DAP and the DAP national leadership have labelled the corruption charges as political persecution and insisted that Lim need not resign or take leave from his position.
