Now MCA questions DAP fundraiser for Guan Eng
(MMO) – After an activist urged the DAP to detail its plans for the money raised for Lim Guan Eng, an MCA leader joined in today, pointing out that the Penang chief minister had already made bail when the donation drive was started.
Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker in a statement also echoed what the activist, Fahmi Reza, said about the return of bail money once the case against the accused is settled in court, and asked if the party would then return the donations.
“Why DAP is organising a donation drive to recover money used to bail out Penang Chief Minister who was already out on bail?
“LGE is already out on bail and here they are misleading the public to donate to a fund that may not be used later. Furthermore, the bail may be in the form of guarantee with no cash involved,” Ti, who is MCA religious harmony bureau chief, said.
He also said that the corruption charges against Lim were “personal in nature” as they revolved around the latter’s purchase of a private residence.
He said it would have been different if the party was seeking funds for a tragedy that struck the state or for a welfare cause.
“We are reminded of the former DAP Sarawak Chairman, the late Wong Ho Leng’s complaint of the lack of party’s concern or assistance when he was cancer stricken,” he said, referring to the former Bukit Assek assemblyman who died two years ago.
Ti also reminded the public of the “Save Bukit China” campaign launched by the DAP in 1984 to stop the then Malacca government’s development plans for the hill.
The MCA central committee member claimed that the issue was eventually settled without money but the DAP never disclosed the sum collected and its whereabouts.
“The money donated could be from non-members and others in support of a good cause. Hence it must be returned to the donors when the issue was resolved.
“DAP failed to be accountable to the Bukit Cina trust funds and more people should wake up to their ‘donation lies’!” he said.
The DAP began a donation drive for its secretary-general Lim on Thursday, shortly after the leader was charged in court with corruption.
According to the party’s Penang chairman Chow Kon Yeow yesterday, the RM10 fundraiser was launched at 6pm Thursday and crossed the RM1 million mark at 2pm yesterday.
The campaign was launched after the party forked out RM890,000 from its accounts and a further RM110,000 from its national headquarters’ accounts to pay for Lim’s bail.
Shortly after the announcement, DAP’s national organising secretary Anthony Loke encouraged the public to continue donating funds to the party, saying the additional money will be used for its “Support, Sympathy and Solidarity with Lim Guan Eng” or “SSSLGE” campaign.
“The campaign will take the form of a nationwide tour involving all DAP elected representatives and leaders in order to dispel the trumped-up charges of corruption against DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng,” he said.
The SSSLGE campaign appears to be a revival of another campaign of the same title that was launched for Lim after he was jailed for sedition in 1998.
This time, Lim is facing corruption charges over his alleged approval of a rezoning application by Magnificent Emblem to convert agricultural land to residential and over his purchase of his RM2.8 million house from businesswoman Phang Li Koon at below market value of RM4.27 million.
The Penang chief minister has claimed trial to both charges and said they were part of a conspiracy by Barisan Nasional (BN) to tarnish the good name and image of the DAP-led state administration.
