PENANG exco Phee Boon Poh, who is the subject of a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) probe into an illegal carbon filter-processing factory, said he would file a defamation suit against newspapers that reported him as having RM2 million in his personal bank accounts.

The two-term exco from DAP denies having the amount in his accounts, and said he and his family were shocked and angered when they read “false newspaper reports” on MACC freezing his accounts and the amount of money purportedly in them.

Reading a statement at Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s office at Komtar, Phee said it was “wrong for such information to be disclosed or published in the press, especially when I have not been informed and only read about it in Barisan Nasional-controlled newspapers”.

He said he would file the suit against Malay, English and Chinese newspapers Utusan Malaysia, The Star, the New Straits Times, Sin Chew Jit Poh and Guang Ming Daily, as well as others that carried similar reports, for “destroying my reputation and integrity, and tarnishing the Pakatan Harapan government’s clean image”.

Phee said he had yet to receive any notice from MACC on the freezing of his accounts.

“I have just been discharged from hospital after taking medical leave.

“I am shocked as to how these BN-controlled newspapers can gain access to such information. Did they get it from MACC or did they fabricate lies to wreck my political career and try bringing down the Penang government?

“MACC should come clean and state whether there was a leak, and if so, take the appropriate punitive action,” he said to a room full of reporters.

Today is Phee’s first day back at work since his release from MACC custody last Monday.

He was arrested at the Penang MACC office on August 11 to assist investigations into the illegal factory in Sungai Lembu.

He was remanded for five days beginning August 12, but released on August 14 after his lawyers successfully challenged the remand order, which they said was illegal. Since then, Phee had been on leave.

He said he would instruct his lawyers to file a notice of demand immediately to protect his family, clear his name and prevent BN from continuing its “evil conspiracy”.

He said he had complied with all instructions by MACC, and promised to continue cooperating with the commission.

The four-term assemblyman reiterated that he was free from corruption and had never taken a single sen from the owner of the illegal factory.

“Neither did my family or I have any personal interest in the factory, nor are the owners related to me.

“I serve Penang faithfully in my capacity as an elected assemblyman and exco. Any letter written by me is done in the course of carrying out my duties as an exco member.

“My family and I shall fight these vicious lies to clear my name.”

Lim, who welcomed Phee back to work, said the exco would not take any questions, but reporters could direct their queries to his lawyer, R.S.N. Rayer.

Rayer, who is also the DAP Seri Delima rep, confirmed that Phee had not been formally informed about his accounts being frozen.

He said it was irresponsible for MACC to leak information on Phee’s accounts.

“It puts him and his family at great risk. Even if it was true (that he has RM2 million), the disclosure of such information exposes Phee to risk.”

The exco is being probed for allegedly using his position for gratification. He had written two letters in 2015 and last year, asking local authorities to postpone enforcement action against the illegal factory.

Villagers living about 1km from the factory had complained about the air pollution allegedly caused by the factory’s operations for years. – August 21, 2017.