THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is being used as a political tool, said former finance minister Lim Guan Eng after the agency brought another two graft charges against him today. 

“It is disappointing that the relevant authorities, including the MACC, have allowed themselves to be used or misused to conduct this political witch hunt against me based on flimsy evidence,” the DAP secretary-general and Bagan MP said in a press conference after pleading not guilty to the charges in Butterworth, Penang, today.

Earlier, Lim was charged with using his position as the Penang chief minister to misappropriate state-owned land worth RM208.75 million for companies related to the Penang undersea tunnel project. 

The two charges stated that he committed the offences in February 2015 and March 2017.

Lim reiterated that the new charges are to disrupt DAP’s campaign in the Sabah elections where candidates will file their nominations tomorrow. Polling is on September 26.

“The two additional charges against me today are baseless, politically motivated and an abuse of power by the unelected government to smear and tarnish my reputation in the run up to elections, whether in Sabah or nationally.”

Lim said the charges did not hold water as the companies were appointed via open tender and he did not sit on the board during his tenure as chief minister.

“The two new charges again relate to the tunnel and three highways project (tunnel project) awarded by the state government in 2013 to Consortium Zenith Beijing Urban Construction Group (CZBUCG). 

“CZBUCG was awarded the contract by open tender from the state tender committee, headed by the Penang state secretary and comprising senior government officers as members. 

“Even though I am not a member of the state tender committee, I am still charged in line with the current thinking of ‘ini semua salah Lim Guan Eng (it is all Lim Guan Eng’s fault)’,” he said.

Consortium Zenith Construction has also denied claims that it bribed Penang officials to obtain the tender.

“How can there be corruption when CZBUCG in 2019 publicly denied bribing any state government officers to the press, and when MACC has cleared the company and its chairman of any bribery or corrupt acts?” – September 11, 2020.