Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) this evening.
His father, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, tweeted that Guan Eng was arrested on two charges of corruption and would be produced in court tomorrow morning.
He is expected to be charged at the Penang Sessions Court under Section 23 of the MACC Act and Section 165 of the Penal Code.
The first charge relates to alleged abuse of power with regard to the re-zoning of land from agriculture to commercial, and the second concerns the bungalow, which he had acquired below market price.
According to state exco Chow Kon Yeow, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) had already rejected the application to re-zone the land.
Media reports also claimed that businesswoman Phang Li Khoon, who sold the house located along Jalan Pinhorn for RM2.8 million, was also arrested.
Phang, who owns Magnificent Emblem Sdn Bhd, is also purportedly linked to the land which was the subject of the re-zoning issue.
The CM's supporters say they will hold a candlelight vigil outside the MACC building along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.
DAP calls Penangites fm all walks of life to stand in solidarity with CM Lim at PG MACC HQ Wed Jun 29 at 8.30 pm pic.twitter.com/wBdCDu2Yk9
— Lim Guan Eng (@cmlimguaneng) June 29, 2016
Earlier, state exco Dr Afif Bahardin claimed officers from the MACC issued the arrest warrant on Guan Eng at the Komtar building, where he chaired the weekly exco meeting on the 28th floor.
Meanwhile, Chow, who is also Penang DAP chief, said the party would convene a meeting after Lim is charged.
"We believe that he can be bailed out,” he told reporters.
On March 4, Umno Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahya had attempted to link the purchase of the two-storey bungalow to the sale of a state government land on Taman Manggis to a private developer.
But Guan Eng dismissed any links, saying the plot was sold via an open tender committee chaired by the federal-appointed state secretary.
Guan Eng had vehemently denied any wrongdoing, saying he bought the house on a willing-seller, willing-buyer basis, and that Phang never won any contracts under his administration.
Meanwhile, MACC in a statement today said the arrest was made against Lim after receiving instructions from the Attorney-General's Chambers.
"The MACC made the arrest against Guan Eng and Phang after receiving instructions from the Attorney-General's Chambers to charge them in court tomorrow," it said.
[READ: Kiniguide on the bungalow purchase controversy.]
