Penang Chief Minister held under arrest

The Third Force

Embattled Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was escorted down from his office in Komtar at 6.25 pm today after having been served an arrest warrant by officers from the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission, or MACC.

There was an air of melancholy at level 28 in Komtar as the CM was led out of his office. His sister, Lim Hui Yeng, was present during the arrest and was visibly shaken, while state EXCO’s Lim Hock Seng and Phee Boon Poh were seen alongside the CM, in tears. As the cordon around the CM inched towards the VIP parking lot at level two, RSN Rayer was seen taking the lead and accompanied the CM as he was driven away in an official state vehicle.

The warrant, served to the CM at 5.30 pm or somewhere thereabouts, pertained to allegations of corruption and acts of malfeasance in conjunction with a bungalow-for-land scam controversy that has been swirling around the CM for some months now.

As of the time of writing, it is known that Guan Eng is faced with a charge under section 23 of the MACC act for allowing an application to rezone a piece of land owned by Phang Li Khoon’s company, Magnificent Emblem Sdn. Bhd.

It is also learnt that the CM faces a charge under Section 165 of the Penal Code for having bought a property under market value while serving in office. An official statement from the MACC office confirmed that both Guan Eng and Ms. Li Khoon will be charged tomorrow at the George Town Session’s Court at 10 am.

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