Pundit provides ‘proof’ against rep

Links to websites that show DAP man’s attempts to obtain British citizenship revealed

PETALING JAYA: Political commentator Lim Sian See has provided what he claims is proof that a Perak DAP assemblyman had attempted to obtain British citizenship numerous times and failed, before returning to Malaysia to contest in the last general election.

Lim, an anonymous Facebook user, claimed that Pasir Pinji assemblyman Howard Lee Chuan How (pic) also used his Commonwealth citizenship while living in Britain for over 12 years to contest a local council by-election for Norwich City on a Liberal Democrats ticket in September 2010.

Lee had earlier published a Facebook post denying acquiring foreign citizenship, and welcomed anyone to challenge that fact through “proper channels”.

Lee, a first-term assemblyman, said his Malaysian citizenship is “indisputable”, claiming that the accusation against him was made to slander Opposition figures.

“I am a citizen of Malaysia and remain loyal to the oath of office I swore in the August House of the Perak State Legislative Assembly four years ago to serve the people of Pasir Pinji, Perak, and Malaysia.

“It is not for me to waste time disproving their false accusations, as the burden of proof is on them,” he said in the statement.

Lim maintained that Lee’s loyalty to Malaysia was still questionable as he had repeatedly tried to obtain UK citizenship despite being rejected.

He added in a Facebook post yesterday that Malaysia and the Perak state legislative assembly were a “second choice” for Lee.

“It is unlikely that he (Lee) would have contested in Malaysia if he had gotten his British citizenship or won in the Norwich City local council election,” said Lim.

He said Lee’s case was similar to that of Sarawak DAP’s Pujut assem- blyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon, who was disqualified for having once acquired Australian citizenship.

“It seems that DAP politicians who failed to make it overseas will then come back to Malaysia,” Lim claimed, adding that Malaysia should not be the “last refuge” for disappointed politicians who failed to make it in other countries.

In his post, Lim provided links to websites that seemingly proved Lee’s attempts to obtain British citizenship, including enlisting the help of a UK lawmaker to plead his case when his application was rejected.

Lim also attached a separate link that led to a page showing the results of the Norwich City local council election on Sept 9, 2010, where Lee contested under the Liberal Democrats Party but lost to a Labour Party candidate.

“Lee only said that it was not for him to waste time disproving false accusations, but that ‘the burden of proof is on them’. And here, I provide proof,” Lim added.

When contacted, Lee confirmed he stood for the Norwich City Council by-election, and pointed out that British laws allowed Commonwealth citizens to stand in local government elections in England and Wales.

When pressed on his alleged attempts to obtain a British citizenship, Lee said: “I will stick by my statement.”