Lim Guan Eng should walk the talk - Dr Hilmi

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya had urged Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to walk the talk and resign or take leave from his position just like how he had always preached.

Dr Hilmi said that Lim had previously asked Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign due to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, but the Attorney General had cleared the prime minister from all accusations.

"Now, as a state leader who had always asked others to resign due to corruption allegations, Lim should do the same.

"If he has integrity, he should step down," Dr Hilmi said.

Last Thursday, Lim, 56, was charged at the High Court here with using his position as chief minister for himself and his wife Betty Chew Gek Cheng's interest to approve the conversion of a piece of land from its status as an agricultural land to residential land and transferring it to a company, Magnificient Emblem Sdn Bhd.

The DAP secretary-general was also accused of corruptly obtaining for himself and his wife, a piece of land and bungalow at No 25, Jalan Pinhorn, George Town here from a businesswoman, Phang Li Koon for RM2.8 million.

Dr Hilmi, who is also Balik Pulau Member of Parliament, also stressed that Lim's refusal to take leave or relinquish his position showed that the principles of competency, accountability and transparency bandied about by the party was now dead.

Meanwhile, Pulau Betong assemblyman Mohamad Farid Saad expressed hope to see a new Chief Minister at the next state assembly sitting.

"Lim should show a good example to others and prove that he is a man of his words," he said.