Embattled Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he was prepared to answer to allegations regarding the purchase of his RM2.8 million bungalow in Parliament.
He said he will be in Parliament tomorrow to face the music.
However, his accuser Umno Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahya must also be willing to repeat his allegations implying Lim was corrupt, outside Parliament.
“He has legal immunity in Parliament, but is he willing to repeat the allegations outside so that I can exercise my right to take legal action against him to clear my name?” Lim told reporters in Komtar today.
Lim said Shabudin was given a chance to meet him face to face in Komtar to “seek truth to facts” but the latter did not take the opportunity to do so.
“I am not such a frightening person that he cannot meet me,” Lim quipped.
'Rafizi would have jumped at chance'
During the press conference arranged for him to dialogue with Shabudin, accompanying Lim was his political secretary and Air Itam assemblyperson Wong Hon Wai and information officer major (retired) Zaidi Ahmad.
Wong had written the letter to invite Shabudin to Komtar today, while Zaidi had submitted the letter to Shabudin in person in Tasek Gelugor.
“If these two persons’ presence poses a problem, I will ask them to leave the room, and leave Shabudin alone with me,” Lim said.
While he waited to see if the Umno MP would show up, Lim took a sip of his coffee and jested, “I get to have nice coffee today because of Shabudin.”
Lim said if the opposition (Pakatan Harapan) like MPs Rafizi Ramli (PKR Pandan) and Tony Pua (DAP Petaling Jaya Utara) were given such an opportunity to meet Prime Minister Najib Razak, the duo would surely grab the opportunity.
Najib is facing intense criticisms over financial discrepancies in 1MDB, and the RM2.6 billion deposited in his personal accounts before the 2013 national polls, but the PM has denied any wrongdoing or taking any money for personal gain.
Lim meanwhile has been criticised for buying his 30 year old ordinary bungalow for RM2.8 million last year. He had previouslybeen renting the unit for RM5,000 per month since 2009.
'Would Najib do likewise?'
Shabudin during Parliament last week accused Lim of corruption over the purchase, turning the House sitting into a circus.
“This is an old lie that has been regurgitated and flogged, it is also a slanderous and unsubstantiated claim,” Lim said.
“I was ready to face the facts and check the evidence he (Shabudin) has. I am brave to face this because I am right.
“I made him an open invitation, but he refused to come or accept my challenge although it is a historic moment where a CM is willing to meet an opposition MP who has accused him of corruption,” Lim said.
“Never before this has it been done. Is the PM willing to meet those who accuse him of (wrongdoing in) the RM2.6 billion donation?” Lim asked.
Lim said he regretted that Shabudin was not willing to meet him face to face, admitting he was wrong to think that Shabudin was “brave to face any challenges to seek the truth”.
“Unfortunately, he withdrew and ran away before anything; it is not fair to me as a victim of these accusations.
"Which is why I have asked him to repeat his claims outside Parliament,” Lim said.
Allegation raised before
Explaining the allegation again, Lim said he had taken a RM2.1 million loan and paid RM700,000 as down payment for the house.
He was also being accused of corruption claiming the seller has a stake in the company which had won the bid to purchase a plot of state land in Taman Manggis, off Jalan Burma, Penang.
Lim denied that the house seller was a developer, a shareholder or a director in the company that had bought the 1.1 acre land, which BN claimed had originally been earmarked for housing for the poor.
The chief minister added the company won the bid via an open tender committee chaired by the state secretary, and not him.
He recalled that he had earlier sued former Penang Umno chief Shaik Hussein Mydin for defamation over the same allegations.
Shaik Hussein had to apologise twice in chambers. -Mkini
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