Former Penang councillor Teh Leong Meng refuted state executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow’s remarks that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s arrest by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was political persecution.

The MACC had charged Lim for alleged corruption in the State Planning Committee (SPC). Lim chairs the SPC’s meetings which deals with land matters of the state.

“The local council has to follow the decision of the SPC and it cannot change the rezoning approved by the SPC,” Teh said at a press conference in Penang today.

“Lim has been charged with corruption due to his role as chairperson of the SPC,” Teh noted.

“It has nothing to do with the Penang Island City Council's (MBPP) decision to reject the planning permission. In fact, MBPP has to follow SPC’s decision on rezoning the land to residential use,” added Teh, who is Gerakan’s Bayan Baru division chief.

Teh expressed sadness that Lim is the first chief minister in Penang’s history to face corruption charges.

“However, don’t turn the corruption charges into political issue, let the rule of law takes its course, justice must be seen to be done,” Teh said

On Thursday, Lim was hit with two corruption charges. One was for rezoning a plot of land in Balik Pulau from agriculture to residential purpose to benefit the owner of the plot - Magnificent Emblem Sdn Bhd.

He was also charged with purchasing a bungalow on Jalan Pinhorn for RM2.8 million, allegedly below market value, from businesswoman Phang Li Koon.

Phang happens to own 30 percent shares in Magnificient Emblem.

Teh said SPC approved the rezoning of the land from agriculture to residential use but MBPP had rejected the planning permission for residential development.

Teh, a four-term former local councillor, held the press conference to clarify the roles of the SPC and MBPP, and to explain the process of application or housing development, from rezoning to planning permission stage.

He was referring to media reports on June 30 where Chow said that the SPC approved the re-zoning of two plots of land (Lot 436 and Lot 437) in Balik Pulau from agriculture to residential.

Chow said MBPP has rejected the application for planning permission for residential development, adding that Lim’s arrest was due to “political factors”.

Teh said Chow made the corruption charges against the CM appear like a “political persecution”.

“He is trying to protect his boss and divert public attention from 'corruption charges' to 'political persecution',” Teh added.

Asked later, Chow said the SPC had approved the rezoning but with conditions.

“The firm has to fulfil these conditions set by the SPC when applying for planning permission but they failed to do so, and so the rezoning process was not completed,” Chow said.