The corruption charges against Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is an attempt by BN to distract from more important issues, said Amanah Perak.

"The issue that they're trying to put on Lim seems to be selective and an effort to distract from the big issues like 1MDB, the donation deposited in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal bank accounts and recent upheaval within Umno that they're trying to hide," Perak Amanah chief Asmuni Awi said in a statement today.

He said another issue that they're trying to distract from is the sacking of former Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir as well as the suspension of the party's vice-president Shafie Apdal.

Perak Amanah firmly supports Lim, Asmuni said, and described the charges against Lim as politically motivated and with the intention of putting Pakatan Harapan leadership in a bad light.

The rakyat should put pressure on the government to focus on the important issues, and not on every other issue except those plaguing BN, he said.

Lim was arrested on Wednesday, after chairing a state executive council meeting. The bail of RM1 million was posted in the Penang High Court on Thursday.

The two charges against the chief minister are related to him approving a plot of land for re-zoning to benefit businesswoman Phang Li Koon, and his purchase of a bungalow on Jalan Pinhorn from Phang at below the market value.

Lim claimed trial and the case has been fixed for mention on Sept 22.