The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) today denied that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng bribed three of its officers to retract their police report against two men who flouted parking rules in George Town.

At a press conference today, MBPP councillor Ong Ah Teong said the allegation was "a lie, a malicious slander and an attempt to incite hatred towards the state government".

The bribe claim was found on a Facebook page ‘Penang Kini’, with daily news updates by an anonymous administrator.

The post drew many responses, with many racially charged comments against the MBPP officers and the two men involved in the incident.

Ong has lodged a police report against Penang Kini Facebook account for the post which questioned “the Malay dignity” of the three officers.

The post said they were cheap to have accepted the RM200 from Lim to retract their police report.

Yesterday, Lim handed over RM200 incentives to the MBPP officers - Zarina Othman, Siti Asa Abu Bakar, and Sabrina Mohd Sabri.

'Officer relodged report'

Ong said the clamping incident happened on Oct 7 at 11am, and one hour later, one of the officers lodged a police report against the two "abusive" men.

"However, she withdrew it at night as she feared for her life after the two men threatened to harm her and her colleagues if they were to meet again, and (they) even called them (MBPP officers) ‘dogs’.

"The next day on Oct 8, we had a press conference to condemn the two men and urged the MBPP officer to relodge the police report, which she did.

"It was only on Friday, Oct 9, that Lim handed over the RM200 incentive to the three women, for their calmness, bravery, courage and professionalism, in handling the case," he stressed.

Yesterday, police nabbed the two men who are being probed for allegedly attempting to prevent public officials from carrying out their duties.

The MBPP councillor also lodged a police report againdt Facebook user 'Tan Khai Beng', reportedly an MCA leader from Bukit Bendera, for alleging that George Town OCPD Asst Comm Meor Faridalatrash Wahid had revealed the two men who abused the officers were members of DAP Tanjung division.

Ong ( photo ) said he has contacted the chief who denied making the statement, saying the police will probe the matter.

He added he has received no information that the duo were even DAP members.

"Whatever it is, the two men are Malaysians and should follow the laws of the state and country,” Ong said.

According to Bernama , the two men have been remanded for three days pending a probe into their "insolent" behaviour towards the officers.

The national news agency quoted Mior Faridalatrash saying that the duo, aged 19 and 25, were detained to facilitate investigations under Section 186 of the Penal Code.

Section 186 involves the obstruction of public servants in doing their job, and the punishment is a jail sentence of up to three months or a maximum fine of RM1,000 or both.

Mior Faridalatrash also said the three MBPP personnel had also been called to give their statement.