Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng claimed today that the BN has no qualms cracking down on the opposition over the 1MDB scandal as it has now obtained support from PAS.

"I congratulate BN as it has obtained the support of PAS and Abdul Hadi Awang," Lim told a press conference in George Town today.

Lim said  this when condemning the latest travel ban by the authorities on DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, PKR's Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli and The Edge Media Group owner Tong Kooi Ong.

He said the travel ban was an attempt to cover up the 1MDB scandal and silence those who exposed what has now known as the biggest financial scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

He described the trio as whistleblowers of the 1MDB scandal.

Najib has been embroiled in 1MDB-linked accsations, the latest of which is that RM2.6 billion of the state agency's funds were found in his private bank accounts.

Najib, who claims he never took money for his personal benefit, is mulling legal action against The Wall Street Journal for reporting the allegation on July 2.

"If anyone should be banned from leaving the country, it should be the main suspects of those involved in the scandal," Lim ( photo ), who is also DAP secretary-general, said.

"Why are the main suspects not banned? This is not fair and gives the impression that only whistleblowers are victimised," he added.

A step backwards

"If they (the whistleblowers) did not give the correct information, they can be summoned to court. If a whistleblower faces action, does that not violate the rule of law? What have Pua, Rafizi and Tong done?" Lim asked.

"Is this the new crackdown on the opposition because the government is losing support?" he added.

"Is this the kind of country we are becoming? A police state? Where those who expose corruption are in fear but not those who are corrupt?"

Lim urged the authorities to withdraw the travel bans and focus their attention on the 1MDB suspects and not on the whistleblowers.

"This is a step backwards and will not restore the confidence of foreign investors.

"It will only shatter their confidence and make it more difficult to restore it. (The travel ban is) a big mistake," he said.