Penang DAP's proposal to hold a snap state polls as a referendum to gauge public sentiment on two corruption charges against Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is an unnecessary distraction, said Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong.
He said treating elections as a referendum on Lim's pending corruption trial was wrong and the DAP's intention to use snap polls as a referendum on Lim's case was purely politically motivated.
Mah also questioned whether DAP was suggesting that judicial proceedings on similar charges in future can be used to circumvent and escape judgement by means of the court of law by holding snap elections.
"And the Penang state government shows little concern on huge financial costs which will occur by holding the snap polls," he said in a statement here today.
Mah was commenting on media reports quoting Penang Deputy Chief Minister P. Ramasamy as saying DAP had shortlisted two options in response to the two corruption charges filed against Lim, who is also the DAP secretary-general.
One was to call for snap polls to gauge the people's response to the charges against Lim while the other was to wait for the coming national polls, to be called no later than August, 2018.
However, no decision has been made regarding the matter and it was just a discussion in the DAP meeting held in Penang recently, Ramasamy said.
Mah said it is Lim who is currently facing the corruption charges in court not the Penang state government, therefore, Penangnites should not be involved into his personal legal issues and Lim should go on leave in the best interest of the state.
Lim's corruption charges should not be taken as a state affair by DAP as it is not fair or legal and Lim should answer and defend against the charges in court respecting the rule of law, he said.
Bernama
Tue Jul 12 2016
MAH: The Penang state government shows little concern on huge financial costs which will occur by holding the snap polls. - Filepic
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