Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has weighed on the side of his arch enemy DAP saying Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng need not go on leave while the purchase of the latter's bungalow is being probed.

"Due process must be followed, but it's easy to accuse people of corruption.

"I was also accused of corruption, but if I had to stop work because of that, it's going to be very difficult," said the long-time prime minister during a press conference in Putrajaya today.

Other than that, he said the allegations against Lim is different from those against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak which has evidence that seemingly linked the premier to graft, though he claimed that investigations against the Pekan MP was derailed as there was interference with the legal process.

"What is clear in Najib's case, it is not only allegations but there is a wealth of evidence, though (investigations) cannot be continued because he interfered with the legal process. So this means that we can ask him to step down," said Mahathir.

The ex-PM noted that there is not yet any charge recorded against the Bagan MP.

"I think authorities have not yet levelled any charges. Only a newspaper has done so. And it is a government-controlled paper. What this non-independent media says cannot be taken seriously; it is politically motivated," he said.

Denied wrongdoing

Ironically, Lim was jailed for sedition in 1998 during Mahathir's administration for questioning government inaction over a statutory rape case.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is now investigating Lim over allegations of corruption raised by Umno Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahaya during Parliament.

Lim has denied any wrongdoing in the transaction and the seller has issued a statutory declaration regarding the sales price, which Shabudin alleged to be below market value and linked to a tender award for a piece of state land at Taman Manggis, Penang.

However, BN leaders have been calling on the chief minister to go on leave while the matter is being investigated, mimicking DAP's call for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to do likewise when the latter was being probed by the special task force over the 1MDB scandal.

Najib - at the time - had refused to entertain calls for him to go on leave to facilitate investigations and the attorney-general has since cleared the prime minister of any wrongdoing.