Former Penang BN chief Teng Chang Yeow is furious with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and two Chinese dailies for insinuating that he "swallowed" RM500,000 promised to a 134-year-old temple in Batu Kawan.

Teng dared Lim to lodge reports with the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and he also threatened to take legal action against Lim and the two newspapers for defaming him.

NONE However, Lim denied that he said Teng had "swallowed the money", saying he had, during the just-concluded general election period, merely asked about the remaining funds promised to the Ang San King Temple.

"Let them sort it out as to who said what, but I will take legal action against them for defaming me," Teng told Malaysiakini when contacted.

"The CM tried to stir the issue. He is no different from former Taiwan president Chen Shui Bin (2000-08) whose tactic is to paint his opponents in a bad light to bring them down," said Teng, who is Gerakan secretary-general.

During the general election campaign, he added, the temple asked him for donations and he promised to raise RM600,000.

He said the money was private funding and had nothing to do with the government. He managed to raise the money through private sponsors, who are his friends, and gave the temple RM100,000 before the GE13 nomination day.

However, after the election, the sponsors felt that the temple committee had taken sides, and were seen to be supporting Lim.

"After the GE, the sponsors rescinded on their pledge tom donate money to the temple committee," Teng said.

"The money we promised to two other committees were issued as they had remained neutral," he added.

'I pleaded with sponsors, but...'

Teng said he pleaded with the sponsors to still donate the money to the Ang San King Temple committee as he was a public personality and needed to keep his promises.

However, the four sponsors had felt strongly about parting with their money, Teng said, adding there was nothing more he could do about the matter.

"I have done my part. In fact, they (temple committee) called me last night to apologise and had wanted to meet me," he said.

"I told them I was not picking a quarrel with them. But they were seen to take sides and there was nothing much I could do."

Teng said he started speaking on the matter after a four months hiatus because disliked the lies being told to smear his name.

He added that his team had remained quiet because they wanted the newly-mandated state government to implement its policies.

"We do not simply want to quarrel with the state government. We are a responsible opposition."