Apandi issues Lim 'final warning'

KUALA LUMPUR: Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali warned Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to stop commenting on the corruption charges that he was currently facing.

Apandi said it was the final warning for Lim following the DAP secretary-general’s action since the day he was charged in court despite being cautioned through English daily The Star and through Lim’s lawyers.

“I have to issue this final warning because his latest comments are tantamount to an assault on my integrity as the public prosecutor.

“I have to defend myself on such baseless accusation that questions my integrity.

“In the course of defending myself, I may have to disclose the evidence that the prosecution has against him,” Apandi said yesterday.

Apandi, who is leading the prosecution team in Lim’s trial, said most of the evidence against Lim was documentary in nature and that the documents were in his possession.

In an immediate reaction, DAP’s Gobind Singh Deo, who is acting as Lim’s lawyer in the case, told Apandi to stop threatening his client.

“I call upon the Attorney-General to stop threatening my client, failing which I will not hesitate to move contempt proceedings against him in the Penang High Court,” he said, challenging Apandi to produce evidence that he had cautioned Lim through his lawyers.

“I have not spoken to him since the day my client was charged and at no time has he ever raised any concern with me personally over the matter until now in the press,” Gobind said.

“I take the view that every accused person is entitled to explain his position in response to charges against him,” said Gobind, adding that as the Chief Minister, there was a need for Lim to explain to the people.