Guan Eng hits out at Kojadi coverage in some Chinese media

© Provided by FMT MEDIA SDN BHD Lim Guan Eng says opposition members are abusing their control over the mainstream media to demonise DAP. (Reuters pic)

PETALING JAYA: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today said party leaders could expect the opposition to abuse their control over the mainstream media to demonise the DAP.

Lim said the likes of PAS, Umno, MCA and MIC will also use the media to “gloss over” their connection with the 1MDB scandal.

“This is proven by the conduct of some Chinese media for failing to carry out their professional journalistic duty in full coverage of the Kojadi scandal and MCA, involving the transfer of RM15 million from Yayasan 1MDB to Kojadi,” he said in a statement, referring to Koperasi Jayadiri Malaysia Berhad, an MCA-linked cooperative.

Recently, Kojadi chairman Ng Peng Hay claimed the cooperative received a “financial grant” of RM15 million from Yayasan 1MDB in 2012 to implement a socio-economic micro-credit scheme called Kojadi Micro Credit Scheme for Youths.

Ng said he proposed for the grant to be returned in light of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s announcement that it had filed a civil forfeiture suit against 41 entities

He claimed MCA president Wee Ka Siong had stopped him from meeting MACC over 1MDB-linked funds, a charge the party denied, with Wee labelling it as “misleading”.

Lim, who is the finance minister, also hit out at PAS for claiming the move to compel MPs to declare their assets was a communist or socialist concept, noting that such initiatives were not practised in many of such countries.

He said declaration of assets was aimed at promoting integrity and combating corruption in government and society.

“Only the corrupt or those protecting the corrupt are fearful of public declaration of assets,” he said in a statement.

He went on to claim that the Islamist party was against public declaration of assets as it wanted to protect opposition leaders embroiled in corruption, especially the 1MDB scandal.

On Friday, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the move to declare assets was inspired by communists and socialists and was likely envisioned by “socialist DAP, which influenced our government”.

Lim also dismissed PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man’s claim that by having MPs declare their assets, it would put lawmakers and their families at risk.

“This is wrong and false when Penang state government leaders had publicly declared their assets for the past eight years without any problem or risk to themselves or their families,” he said.