Councillors deny corruption allegations aimed at them in a blog

Ong with lawyer Jagdeep talking to reporters after filing a police report against the news blog in George Town December 24, 2012. – Picture by K.E. Ooi

Opalyn Mok, The Malaysian Insider

Three councillors have denied corruption allegations against them that was published in a Chinese-language news blog recently.

The three – Ong Ah Teong, Tahir Jalaluddin Hussain and Prem Anand – have denied accepting bribes from traders as inducement not to take action against them as alleged in the news blog.

The three, accompanied by Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo, also lodged police reports against the blog today for criminal defamation and fraudulent use of network facilities.

Last Friday, the news blog iMAGnews.com.my published a post alleging that Penang Island Municipal councillors are accepting bribes from traders as inducement not to take action against the traders.

The site also alleged that one of the councillors had received RM25,000 from a single mother at a cafe.

Jagdeep said the site did not mention names but had included a photo of the three councillors with the post.

The trio lodged the police report at around 11.30am today.

“We will also find out the details of the blog owner and consider taking legal action against the owner as corruption allegations is a very serious matter,” Jagdeep told a press conference outside the police headquarters here.

This is not the first time the site had targeted councillors in its posts, according to Ong.

He claimed that on Dec 15 the site had published a post alleging him of abuse of power.

“I would like to ask the blog writer to lodge a police report or a report with the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if they have proof that any of the councillors have accepted bribes,” Ong said.

Jagdeep said the state government has always maintained a clean governance so allegations like this could smear the council and the state government’s reputation.