The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will open an investigation paper

on Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (pic)over his alleged purchase of a house in the state at an undervalued price.

A source told Bernama that an IP would be opened under the MACC Act 2009, “for allegedly receiving a bribe from a party with interest”.

“We received a number of reports on the issue today and we are waiting to see whether there are more to come.

“We would normally open an IP as soon as possible in cases like this and we will investigate regardless of who the individual is,” he told the national news agency on Friday.

The source also said MACC would call Lim to give his statement, after obtaining the complainants and witnesses' statements.

The witnesses would be called to confirm their claims and only after that would we call him," said the source.

Local press reported about the alleged purchase by Lim of a house in Jalan Pinhorn, Georgetown, Penang for lower than the current market value.

On Thursday at the Dewan Rakyat, Datuk Shabudin Yahaya (BN-Tasek Gelugor) claimed that the house, on 10,161 sq ft (943.98 sq metres) of land, was bought by Lim on Oct 25 last year for RM2.8mil.

According to Shabudin, the market value of the property was between RM6mil and RM6.5mil.

Lim had reportedly denied Shabudin’s claim.

MACC in a press statement on Friday said that it had previously not opened a file on the purchase of the house and added that the matter was a “new revelation” to the anti-graft body.

“MACC’s previous investigation had only involved the tenancy of the house and not of the purchase,” it said.

The commission also confirmed that it had recorded the statements of those who had lodged the complaints.

The anti graft body said that it would continue to guarantee that it will investigate all complaints and information it receives without bias.


Source: The Star