Claim DAP never took donations, ‘dishonest and laughable’

Former party vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz says DAP’s “inner circle” knew about such donations all along.

(FMT) – The claim by DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng that his party never received political donations is “dishonest and laughable”, says former party vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim.

“I think it is laughable. Any idiot will know that DAP depends on donations,” Aziz was quoted telling the New Straits Times.

“If he (Lim) is denying that the party ever received any political donations, that is a lie.”

Aziz questioned Lim’s claim, asking how was it then, that the party had managed to survive this long without funding.

“Who is paying for their headquarters, keeping their branches going, and organising their candidates and elections?” he asked.

Aziz added that Guan Eng, his father Lim Kit Siang, who is DAP Parliamentary leader, and Dr Chen Man Hin, the party’s life adviser, knew about such donations as they were part of the DAP’s inner circle.

“I was not privy to this. Guan Eng, Kit Siang, and Dr Chen, who are in the inner circle, know about the political donations,” he said.

Lim (Guan Eng) said yesterday that DAP had never received any donations, and that his administration made an effort to disclose the assets and incomes of all their state executive councillors.

“Unlike Barisan Nasional, we have no involvement with any donations. We have never opposed efforts to regulate political funding,” he had said.

Former Selangor DAP leader Tan Tuan Tat also disagreed with these remarks, saying that all political parties received donations. He also said the people should question both Lims about the funding DAP received for the 13th General Elections.

“Did Guan Eng use a different term for the funds DAP received? That is a question that needs to be asked,” Tan said.