PARLIAMENT | Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said he can join the delegation to China if the opposition can promise not to sabotage the SST and GST repeal bills in the Dewan Negara next week.

"On Monday, I am forced to be at the Senate to ensure that the bills, especially the GST and SST bills, are passed (by the Senate).

"Unless the opposition can ensure that they will respect the rakyat's mandate given to Pakatan Harapan and will not sabotage the economic policies and reject the bills at the Senate.

"If you can give that guarantee, then I can go (to China) but if not, then it would be difficult for me to leave this issue with the bills as it is my responsibility as the finance minister," Lim said during his wrapping up-speech for the second reading of the supply bill.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and a delegation which includes other ministers are expected to visit China from Aug 17 to 21. Lim is not among those ministers.

As of July 26, the Dewan Negara is still dominated by the opposition, with only six senators from Harapan out of 55.

Lim said it is very important for him to ensure the bills are passed in the Senate because it would otherwise greatly affect the government's revenue.

The government may then face a deficit, which should not be allowed to happen, he said.

"Maybe the opposition wants this to happen so they can use this issue to criticise and slam the new government," he said.

Lim brought this up after Annuar Musa (BN-Ketereh) questioned earlier today whether Lim was not going on the China trip because he had offended the Chinese government.

Annuar had also alleged that there were rumours Lim had instructed the MACC to raid several China-owned companies.

Lim denied these "baseless" accusations and stressed that the MACC is free to pursue whichever case they believe has a basis.

"I do not understand why Ketereh is bringing this up. I do not know where it is coming except his rather fertile imagination," he said.

On a separate issue, Lim said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad told him that if there is a third national car project, it will not use public funds.

"It will come from investments from the private sector. If it comes from private investments, then I think there is no problem," Lim said.