THE threat of prosecuting Lim Guan Eng for graft did not deter Lim Kit Siang from cooperating with Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2016, the DAP adviser told Malaysia Decides.

The Iskandar Puteri MP said the threat was communicated to him at the end of 2016 when he and Dr Mahathir struck a political alliance that included PKR and Amanah, which won the May 9 polls.

“If you don’t cooperate with Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the charges against Guan Eng will be dropped,” he said, revealing the threat when met by Malaysia Decides.

His son, Guan Eng, was then Penang chief minister and was later charged with graft over a bungalow purchase. Guan Eng is now the finance minister in the new Mahathir government.

Kit Siang refused to disclose who made the threat or how it was conveyed to him.

“For me, it was no go. The charges against Guan Eng (weren’t) just selective prosecution but political prosecution,” he added.

Guan Eng was sworn in as the finance minister yesterday, the same day his case was deferred to July 30 while his lawyers prepare their submissions to have the charges dropped for political prosecution.

He claimed trial to two corruption charges brought by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on June 30, 2017, consisting allegations of a piece of land from agricultural status to residential, and for allegedly buying a bungalow at RM2.8 million at below-market value.

Phang Li Khoon, 46, also pleaded not guilty to abetting Guan Eng over the sale of the bungalow at a lower value. – May 22, 2018.