No street demos for DAP, but roadshow to explain
Published on: Saturday, July 02, 2016
Kuala Lumpur: The rakyat will have the final say on Barisan Nasional's (BN) effort to smear DAP's name heading towards the 14th General Election, said it's secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.Lim, who is also Penang Chief Minister, said the timing of the charges made against him, especially right before the festive Hari Raya period, was deliberately designed to further weaken the party and the opposition."But it's the people who will determine whether BN's effort will succeed (or not). I feel touched by the support shown by the people despite attempts to smear my name.
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"I saw Malay women hugging and crying. I saw Malay men with skull caps hugging and crying. It was something I have never seen before."And we didn't even organise the gathering. They came on their own volition because they know the State Government is clean. They know how it's like to live under a clean government."So although we are not calling anyone to come down to the streets and protest, don't underestimate the public's spontaneity," said Lim at the party's headquarters, here.
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Lim was Thursday charged for abuse of power for allegedly obtaining benefits for himself and his wife, and graft for obtaining a plot of land and house way below market price. He claimed trial to both charges and was released on bail of RM1 million.Lim said the fact that the Auditor-General (AG) and Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) have time and again praised the Penang government as clean should be proof enough of its innocence.
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"We are praised by TI-M. Which government in Malaysia is praised by TI-M? And every year the AG's report praises the Penang government as the best run in Malaysia. And yet now the leader is charged."No benefit can be proven. Don't think Malaysians are stupid. They can distinguish the truth. They can see the injustice," he said.He said the DAP is not planning to hold a street demonstration to protest against the corruption charges.Instead, it will soon go on a roadshow nationwide.This, said Lim, was to explain that the charges against him were merely an attempt to destabilise the Penang Government.Meanwhile, Penang DAP's campaign to collect the RM1 million paid as bail for Lim has achieved its target – in less than 24 hours.The money collected was to restore party funds used to bail out Lim from court, after he claimed trial.State DAP Chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the party had received RM1,009,000 by 2pm and was thankful for the generous donations received from the public."In less than 24 hours, we hit the target. From 6pm yesterday till 2pm today, we have been receiving (an average of) RM51,000 per hour."We would like to thank Malaysians for parting with their hard-earned money. We thank you for your sacrifice.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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