Penang CM detained by MACC

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Lim swarmed by members of the media as he is taken under custody. -Photo credit Oriental Daily News.

Lim swarmed by members of the media as he is taken away. -Photo credit Oriental Daily News.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) this evening (June 29).

He will be charged with two counts of corruption tomorrow. He is under investigation over his purchase of a house at Jalan Pinhorn for RM2.8 million, which was linked to the sale of state land in Taman Manggis, Penang.

Bernama quoted an MACC source as saying that Phang Li Koon, who sold the bungalow to him was also arrested.

The source said Lim and Phang were taken to the Penang MACC headquarters in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah in George Town and that they would be charged in court tomorrow.

State exco member Chow Kon Yeow said that Lim was expected to be charged under Section 23 under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act and Section 165 of the Penal Code.

Lim was arrested at his office at Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Komtar) this evening by several MACC officers who had been at Komtar since afternoon.

Lim was taken to the MACC office, accompanied by his lawyer R.S.N. Rayer who is the state assemblyman for Seri Delima, in his state government official car at 6.30pm.

When contacted by The Borneo Post, State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said there was no reason for MACC to arrest Guan Eng even if the prosecution wanted to charge him in court because the arrest before the charge was to secure his attendance in the court.

“You just need to serve him the summons and he will attend the court proceeding tomorrow morning. He is the chief minister, where is he going to run?”

While leaving the charges against Guan Eng to his defence counsel, Chong said Guan Eng’s arrest was a show of bad faith from MACC.

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