~penarik beca

Guan Eng strikes back at S'gor chief police

The Edge (15/1/10): Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has accused Selangor CPO Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar of lying when he accused the former of refusing to cooperate on his alleged seditious statement related to the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock.

Khalid alleged that Lim had refused to cooperate with a police team from Selangor last Saturday which had traveled to Penang to record his statement.

Khalid then threatened Lim with arrest, under Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code, if he refused to give a statement.

Lim is under investigation for saying that Teoh's death was murder during the Pakatan Rakyat convention in Shah Alam on Dec 19.

Khalid also said Lim had demanded for the police report first and that no statement had been recorded from him.

Lim, who was away in Taiwan on a trade mission and returned to Penang on Wednesday, refuted Khalid's claims.

"Even the journalists were here when the police came to take my statement, with even photographs being taken so there is no question of me not cooperating with the police.

"I regret Khalid's statement as he is clearly lying and also practices double standards.

"He accused me of refusing to cooperate when I have also signed my statement and handed it over to my lawyer for further action.

"I abide by the law of Malaysia. Have you ever heard of any chief minister being arrested or threatened with arrest by the police?

"Instead of going after elected representatives, the police should focus on handling crime and also other much more urgent tasks they should be looking into," Lim said during a press conference after the monthly civil service gathering at Komtar.

Lim said he would leave the matter to his lawyer for further action.

Asked if he had contingency measures in place in case he was arrested by police, Lim said: "If the Selangor police want to arrest me, I will see which laws would they invoke to do so."

Meanwhile, Lim welcomed the statement by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat for cooperation between the state and federal government.

"We are willing to cooperate with the federal government including the Transport Ministry to alleviate congestion problems in Penang.

"Our cooperation could also be a role model and test case for other agencies or ministries to emulate," Lim added.

During a visit to George Town on Thursday, Ong had called on the state government to set aside political polemics to work together with the federal ministry for the benefit of Penangites.