FINANCE Minister Lim Guan Eng, whose graft charges were withdrawn today, said he is thankful that he could finally clear his name.

Lim, when he was Penang chief minister, was accused of committing graft for buying his Jalan Pinhorn bungalow below market value. His former landlady, Phang Li Khoon, who sold him the house, was also charged with him.

Lim said he was very thankful that the “selective prosecution started by the old regime” against him and Phang, which had caused them and their families much stress, was finally over with their names cleared.

“We are very thankful to god, our lawyers, families and supporters who had stood by us. I am thankful to the people, my fellow DAP and Pakatan Harapan leaders and members, who never doubted that I am a clean leader.

“They never doubted my integrity and my struggle for justice and truth, not only for myself but for the people,” he told reporters at the Penang High Court today after he and Phang were discharged with full acquittal by judge Hadhariah Syed Ismail.

“At last, the truth is out with the charges dropped. We know the charges were malicious slander against us. I don’t want to talk about those who did this (to us). God will judge them.

“For us, it is what’s next. We will surely celebrate a bit but we have to continue with more important work – to save the Malaysian economy and bring change for the future of our children.”

The decision to acquit Lim and Phang came after the prosecution told the court that it had decided not to pursue the case further after studying the defence’s representations to get the charges dropped.

The defence had always maintained that the charges against Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general and a vocal critic of the former Barisan Nasional federal government, were politically motivated.

Lim was accused of using his position to seek gratification by buying the bungalow from Phang at RM2.8 million when the property’s market value was said to be RM4.27 million on July 28, 2015.

Phang was charged with abetting Lim on July 28 last year in relation to the house purchase.

Lim was also accused of using his position to obtain gratification for himself and his wife Betty Chew by approving an application by Magnificent Emblem to convert agricultural land to residential use during a state planning committee meeting on July 18, 2014. Phang was reportedly a Magnificent Emblem director. – September 3, 2018.