Retract statement, Rayer tells Chang

(The Star) – A state assemblyman has threatened to sue Gerakan acting president Datuk Chang Ko Youn if he does not retract a statement that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng favoured only the rich and the well-connected in Penang’s government policies.

Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer gave Chang 48 hours from yesterday to retract the alleged defamatory statement.

Chang had also allegedly stated that Lim had made decisions without the approval of his state executive councillors and the state planning committee.

Rayer claimed Lim had performed better than his predecessor, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

He singled out the Kampung Buah Pala issue, where the former residents were each compensated with a double-storey terrace house, and a recent illegal hill clearing where a prominent developer was charged in court for his action.

“I hope Chang would act gentlemanly and retract his statement,” Rayer said at a press conference here yesterday.

Rayer said he would also file a complaint with the Penang Bar committee against lawyer Ranjit Singh Dhillon, who is the committee’s criminal law chairman, for allegedly meddling in DAP’s matters.

This followed reports that Ranjit had asked DAP national chairman Karpal Singh to declare his assets over allegations that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had given him RM50mil to bribe judges and prosecutors.

Ranjit had reportedly also hit out at DAP over its alleged failure to submit the original letters from the 500 delegates who purportedly confirmed that they were not attending the party’s elections here last year.

“He is not a politician. He is not authorised by the Bar Committee to speak to the press on politics,” Rayer said of Ranjit.