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Penang excos get vocal against probe on CM for GST song

Penang state exco members have rallied in support of Lim Guan Eng after police confirmed that the chief minister was being investigated for leading children in the rendition of an anti-goods and services tax (GST) song.

Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon called the criminal investigation against Lim "excessive", as a conviction could cause him to lose his parliamentary and state seats.

"It is up to the rakyat to decide if this probe has political motives or is an abuse of power by certain quarters, given that it is being carried out as we are fast approaching the 14th general election.

"But isn't it a double standard that only Lim is being probed and his statements taken over every police report, when the same action is not being taken against other ministers?

"It is clear that action is taken against Lim because he opposes the GST and wants it to be abolished," Rashid said at a press conference today.

During an officiating ceremony offering free tuition classes at the Mutiara Idaman 2 flats last Sunday, the chief minister is alleged to have taught the children to sing the “ABCD-GST” but with lyrics insulting the BN government.

After a video clip of the event went viral on the social media, two local NGOs and the Penang Front Party lodged police reports against Lim. MCA subsequently accused him of indoctrinating children with anti-government messages.

Lim is being investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a maximum penalty of not more than one year in jail, a fine of RM50,000, or both.

Police report filed on Tengku Adnan

Meanwhile, several DAP members, including two local councillors, lodged a police report against Federal Territory Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor today.

The report was lodged over Tengku Adnan’s visit to SK Putrajaya Presint 14(1) last October, during which Umno flags dotted the school compound, and students were made to sing the Umno theme song.

Accompanying Penang Island City councillor Chris Lee, who lodged the report at the Northeast District police headquarters on Jalan Pattani, was fellow councillor Syerleena Abdul Rashid.

The group urged the police not to practise “double standards”, given their probe on Lim.

Lim himself had cited the Umno-themed event in the Putrajaya school  as an example of these "double standards".

"The police must show that they are not practising double standards by only investigating the chief minister for an incident which did not even have any political symbols attached to it," Lee said after lodging the report.

"I take this opportunity to reiterate that the BN-led federal government should show its sincerity in safeguarding this nation.

"The arbitrary actions taken is evident that the system has been distorted in ways that can only benefit them. Malaysians will not bow down to their oppressive ways," he added.

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