Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has dared Prime Minister Najib Razak to call for an early general election to seek a fresh mandate from Malaysians.

His challenge to Najib to call for snap polls – just as Penang is contemplating it – is over the US Department of Justice’s civil lawsuits against individuals alleged to have siphoned millions from 1MDB.

“I challenge the prime minister to call for national polls, just as Penang is discussing the possibility of snap polls, if he thinks it is all trumped-up charges,” Lim told a press conference in George Town today.

“We hope we can have the state and national polls so that the people can decide,” he added.

“If all channels are closed, then let the people be the judge – whether the 1MDB is clean or not.”

Lim said that Penang’s proposal to conduct snap polls after he was slapped with two corruption charges was not to save himself, as he would most likely be punished for the allegations.

“Lim Guan Eng cannot be saved anymore, let’s be frank. I am not the type to deny such a thing, everyone knows, but this election is to save the people and Malaysia, as Malaysia can still be saved,” Lim added.

“Penang and Malaysia must be saved, so let us follow the democratic process, and ask the people to decide whether they want to give us a new mandate or not,” he said.

Lim said the new mandate was to ensure the authority, legitimacy and credibility of the administration.