DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has once again alleged that he was "offered" to have his son Guan Eng's corruption charges dropped if he severed ties with Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2016 and ended their bid to topple then-premier Najib Abdul Razak.
Speaking in Sydney, Kit Siang said such practices must be weeded out from the judiciary of "New Malaysia" to restore respect for the country's justice system. He did not, however, specify who made him the offer.
"In the past, there was widespread talk of the reprehensible practice where litigants involved in mega disputes could be approached by intermediaries who promised to settle their cases in return for hefty sums of monies.
"I had said previously that I have received a message in 2016 that Guan Eng’s corruption charges would be dropped if I could ensure that I would not cooperate with Mahathir to bring about a united front to topple Najib as prime minister.
"Such practices, which undermine the efficiency, independence and professionalism of the judiciary and the system of justice, must never be allowed to return in a New Malaysia," he said at the event organised by the Sydney chapter of Bersih yesterday.
Kit Siang first made the claim in May this year following Harapan's victory in the 14th general election.
He alleged that this took place at the end of 2016 when Mahathir's Bersatu formed a pact with Pakatan Harapan comprising DAP, PKR and Amanah to become the then-opposition bloc.
"'If you don't cooperate with Mahathir, the charges against Guan Eng will be dropped.'
"For me it was a no go. The charges against Guan Eng weren't just selective prosecution but political prosecution," the Iskandar Puteri MP was reported to have said.
Guan Eng, who was then-Penang chief minister, was slapped with two graft charges in relation to the rezoning of a plot of land to Magnificient Emblem Sdn Bhd, and the purchase of a property from one Phang Li Khoon at allegedly below market value.
Both Guan Eng and co-accused Phang were recently acquitted by the Penang High Court after the Attorney-General's Chambers reviewed the case and agreed to withdraw the charges.
The acquittal, however, invited suspicions of government interference, with several quarters calling for an inquiry or parliamentary white paper on the decision.
'New M'sia' civil movement
In his speech at the Sydney Bersih event, Lim further called on the Malaysian diaspora to aid in nation-building, with the establishment of civil movement chapters around the globe, similar to Bersih and Global Bersih.
"I call for the establishment of a New Malaysia civil movement, in Malaysia as well as in Malaysian diaspora worldwide, which can be called Diaspora New Malaysia with separate chapters in countries abroad or major foreign cities patterned after Bersih and Global Bersih, as platforms for Malaysians to contribute to and participate in the building of New Malaysia.
"The great task to build a New Malaysia cannot be accomplished in 100 days or in five months, but will take a decade or two," he said.
