No cash found on me or in my bank account, so no corruption, says Guan Eng

(FMT) – Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng lashed out against his two new corruption charges today, describing them as “flimsy” and a possible attempt to derail DAP’s election efforts.

The party secretary-general had earlier been slapped with two counts of misappropriating state land worth RM208.7 million to two companies in the Sessions Court here.

Lim said the charges were related to the undersea tunnel and roads project, which was awarded through an open tender in 2013 and which he was questioned five times by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission before.

He insisted that he was not involved in the tender process.

“How can there be corruption when no corruption money was discovered in my possession?” he told reporters at his Bagan parliamentary office here after his court appearance.

Lim said the five charges he now faces, ranging from corruption to abuse of power, are baseless and politically motivated, and an attempt at tarnishing his reputation.

“I will prove my innocence in court, particularly when no gratification or corruption money was found in either my personal bank account or in my possession in cash,” he said.

He said the timing of the charges could be an attempt at affecting his party’s chances in the Sabah state polls on Sept 26 and the next general election.

Lim also thanked supporters who had contributed RM10 each to his “Solidarity with Lim Guan Eng Fund” launched by Penang DAP last month, which has since collected RM4 million.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin told reporters the two new charges against Lim were the “mother of all charges”, adding that the prosecution had a “99% chance” of winning the case.