KAJANG, March 20 – Photographs of Lim Guan Eng and a businessman accused of corruption were to disprove the Penang chief minister's claim that he did not know the latter, Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong stressed today.

The MCA deputy president said these were not to prove guilt or innocence, but to show that Lim was not forthright about his connections to the businessman being investigated for allegedly taking RM19 million in bribes to help end a probe into Penang's controversial undersea tunnel project.

Wee said the photographs contradict Lim who insisted he was not familiar with the businessman and who said it was normal for politicians to be photographed with others.

“However, it is very rare for a politician to take photos with others without their shoes,” Wee said today.

“Therefore, it was either taken at a house of worship or someone's private residence as a sign of respect.”

Lim previously responded to the photographs by sharing others of the same businessman with Barisan Nasional leaders.

He insisted that if his photographs were incriminating, then the same applied to the BN leaders shown in pictures with the same person.

Among the BN leaders shown were Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid; Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim; and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

The photographs were purportedly posted by the businessman’s wife on her social media accounts.

Wee said today that Lim was being intentionally obtuse about the matter.

“He (Lim) missed the point again because he must understand that celebrities will take photo with anyone.

“He cannot claim that just because of the husband's status, the wife is disallowed from taking photos with others. Is he trying to confuse the people?”" he said.

Wee has challenged Lim to a public debate of Penang's undersea tunnel project that is being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

In turn, Lim insisted he would only debate MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai by virtue of their comparable leadership positions.