Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has denied that moving a motion at the state legislative assembly against Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahaya's remarks on rape was an act of political revenge.

“If it is revenge, we would have moved a motion against Shabudin over a land scandal in federal agency Perda (Penang Regional Development Authority) earlier,” he said.

“Why is there still no action against Shabudin over the Perda case?” asked the DAP secretary-general.

Shabudin is Perda chairperson.

Lim was responding to Penang Umno liaison chief Zainal Abidin Osman's claim that Lim wanted to file the motion against Shahbudin due to political revenge.

In a tit-for tat, Penang Umno has also decided to move a motion demanding Lim's resignation over his two graft cases, which is currently pending trial at the High Court.

On March 31 last year, Lim revealed that Perda had sold 8.5 acres of land in Taman Keramat Permai in Seberang Perai Selatan at a fraction of the market price.

The plots were collectively valued at RM16.636 million for tax assessment but were sold at RM1.427 million to Sty Prestige Sdn Bhd.

“That means Perda and the people of Penang lost RM15.209 million,” Lim had alleged.

On his two corruption cases, which came following Shabudin's expose in Parliament, Lim described it as a “malicious political conspiracy to assassinate his political career”.

“In the case of Perda, there is a great loss of public funds, in my case, there is no loss of public funds.

We could have moved a motion on that against Shabudin but we did not,” said the chief minister.

Lim said the motion to be moved in the May 19 sitting concerned Shabudin’s “disgraceful” remarks that victims can marry their rapists.

Although Shabudin clarified that he was referring to statutory rape cases, Lim said the Umno MP's remarks were against women but in defence of rapists.

Shabudin also accused the media of taking his remarks on child marriages out of context.

However, Lim said it was shocking to hear Shabudin claim that “nine or 12-year-olds were physically and spiritually ready for marriage.”

“This is so disgraceful and if Umno or its women's wing (Wanita Umno) support such remarks, they have no shame. They should be defending women instead of supporting Shabudin or trivialising the crime of rape.

“If Wanita Umno or state opposition leader Jahara Hamid supports Shabudin, let us debate in the state assembly,” he added.

Jahara had earlier said Shabudin was merely expressing his views as he has “experience” when presiding over such cases during his tenure as a syariah court judge.