GEORGE TOWN: More quarters have come forward, demanding Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to explain a photo of an individual, resembling him with a businessman, who carries a ‘Datuk Seri’ title, and currently being investigated for his involvement in the Penang undersea tunnel project.
Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications (BNSC) deputy director Datuk Eric See-To said, if the photo was indeed real, Lim has an obligation to confirm if he knows that businessman, why he went to the man’s house, when was the photo taken and his relationship with the Datuk Seri.
“However, if Lim believes that the photo is doctored or edited, he has to say so, and lodge a police report,” he said in his Facebook posting.
Recently, the Datuk Seri was remanded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly receiving RM19 million in payments from the tunnel project’s special purpose vehicle (SPV), in what was reported to be payments to stop MACC from investigating the controversial project.
Another RM3 million was also said to have been paid to another businessman, one with a ‘Datuk’ title, for the same purpose, bringing the total payment to RM22 million, in a failed attempt to stop the investigation.
Lim has denied any knowledge of the RM22 million payments by the SPV.
Today, a statement released by the Penang Chief Minister Office and available on Lim’s official blog, https://limguaneng.com, said the Chief Minister had instructed his lawyers to study the legal implications of the smear campaign in a bid to run him down.
The statement also said that that as a public figure, the Chief Minister has taken many photographs with many personalities, and could not recall how many times or where each and every photograph was taken.
“Does taking a photo makes one a buddy or one who is close to Barisan Nasional into a DAP supporter?
“This is not only ridiculous but a disgusting attempt to smear the Chief Minister by relying on one photograph,” it read.
Meanwhile, Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) deputy president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan said while it was undeniable that Lim had taken many photographs with many personalities, the question which begs an answer is what he was doing at the businessman’s house.
“It is an easy question, and not a difficult one for him to answer. So, there is no need to spin here and there in your statement, telling all sort of stories.
“You have said that you are in the dark but the photo looks so clear,” he added.
Political activist and former People’s Action Party (PAP) vice-president Rahmad Isahak said Lim could no longer keep mum on the matter as his reputation and that of the DAP-led Penang government are at stake.
“Any denial should be done professionally and sincerely so that the photo will no longer be a ‘thorn in the flesh’, what more the businessman is now under investigation.
“As long as the matter is not answered, then the people cannot be faulted for making their own insinuation and assumption about the Chief Minister and the businessman,” he added.
The tunnel project had raised numerous controversies in recent months, especially on the high cost of the RM305 million feasibility studies as well as the 22-month delay in completing it.
It is now a subject of investigation by the anti-graft agency.