She set us up, claims PKR duo
Athi VeerangganPublished: May 26, 2009 8:16 AM | Updated: May 26, 2009 10:54 AM
The two local PKR leaders embroiled in the graft allegation raised by Penanti's independent candidate, Aminah Abdullah, today denied categorically her charges and stressed their views and opinions to her were maliciously taken out of context.
The two local PKR leaders embroiled in the graft allegation raised by Penanti's independent candidate, Aminah Abdullah, today denied categorically her charges and stressed their views and opinions to her were maliciously taken out of context.
Cheah Kah Peng (centre in photo) and Peter Lim claim they did not offer any cash and position as bribes to the former state PKR women chief in exchange for her withdrawal from the by-election.
They said whatever was spoken during their conversation was merely "a casual chat over lunch held in a jovial, light-hearted and friendly atmosphere”.
Both of them said that they were close friends of Aminah for nearly 10 years and have paid courtesy calls to her home on numerous occasions, including during festive seasons and her daughter's recent engagement in March.
On May 13, the duo had gone to her house in Jelutong upon her invitation for lunch, where they were engaged in friendly political chat over Aminah's plan to contest in Penanti.
Although PKR supreme council member Cheah and Batu Kawan division deputy chairperson Lim did not spell out on exactly what transpired during the conversation, they denied that they had offered bribes for her withdrawal.
'Not in a position to offer her anything'
"We are not in a position to offer her anything. How could we offer?" Cheah told a press conference at PKR election operations room in Berapit, Bukit Mertajam this afternoon.
The duo was accompanied by their counsel, Ong Chin Wen, who is also the Bukit Tengah assemblyperson.
Aminah alleged yesterday, and reiterated it today, that the duo had came over to her house and offered cash and position for her to withdraw from the Penanti by-election.
She alleged that she was offered the president’s post in one of the local municipalities in Penang and RM80,000 as reimbursement for her by-election expenses, including election deposit, for her to withdraw and give a walkover to PKR candidate Mansor Othman.
She also claimed that the duo had offered her the post of deputy chief minister 1 in the Pakatan Rakyat state government if she contests and wins the by-election.
According to her, the offers were made by the duo with the blessing of PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim.
However, the top PKR leadership has denied knowledge of any such dealings between Cheah, Lim (left) and Aminah.
Cheah stressed that he and Lim have gone to visit Aminah on that day in their personal capacity, not on an official political mission.
He expressed sadness that Aminah had exploited their friendship and used them as pawns for her own selfish gain.
'She invited us for lunch and framed us'
"It's sad and wrong of her to issue misguiding and misleading statements over a casual conversation among friends," said Cheah, a qualified lawyer.
Lim, on the other hand, said he never thought Aminah would have recorded their conversation and taken photographs of them using a mobile phone camera without their knowledge.
"I am hurt that she had invited us to her home for lunch, framed us and implicated us with a wrongdoing out of nothing.
"She has abused our friendship to gain political mileage," said Lim, a special officer to the Pakatan Rakyat state government executive councillor, Law Choo Kiang.
Cheah and Lim did not want to go into details of their conversation with Aminah to avoid legal complications.
However, they said Aminah had always expressed her desire to rejoin PKR, which she left in 2007 under acrimonious circumstances following a political fallout with the state party leadership, and were seeking out their opinions and views on her wish whenever they met, including that day in May.
"Our conversations that day was similar to all our friendly chats we have had routinely over the years,” they said.
'I did not betray our friendship'
Earlier today, Aminah has acknowledged that the duo were her close friends. But she vehemently refuted accusations that she had betrayed her friendship by tape recording their conversation with their knowledge.
She claimed that she had done it merely to safeguard her interests as she had previously been a victim herself to recordings done secretly by PKR members.
She handed over copies of the compact disc with audio recording and photographs of Cheah and Lim having a meal in her house to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and Election Commission for further action.
A PKR legal team, headed by party vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah, had today served Aminah a legal notice of demand seeking a public apology, withdrawal of her allegations and damages for slander.
Aminah said she would initiate a respond according to the notice of demand.
The by-election will see PKR's Mansor facing off three independents, including Aminah, who is a former PKR women's wing leader.
Cheah Kah Peng (centre in photo) and Peter Lim claim they did not offer any cash and position as bribes to the former state PKR women chief in exchange for her withdrawal from the by-election.They said whatever was spoken during their conversation was merely "a casual chat over lunch held in a jovial, light-hearted and friendly atmosphere”.
Both of them said that they were close friends of Aminah for nearly 10 years and have paid courtesy calls to her home on numerous occasions, including during festive seasons and her daughter's recent engagement in March.On May 13, the duo had gone to her house in Jelutong upon her invitation for lunch, where they were engaged in friendly political chat over Aminah's plan to contest in Penanti.
Although PKR supreme council member Cheah and Batu Kawan division deputy chairperson Lim did not spell out on exactly what transpired during the conversation, they denied that they had offered bribes for her withdrawal.
'Not in a position to offer her anything'
"We are not in a position to offer her anything. How could we offer?" Cheah told a press conference at PKR election operations room in Berapit, Bukit Mertajam this afternoon.
The duo was accompanied by their counsel, Ong Chin Wen, who is also the Bukit Tengah assemblyperson.
Aminah alleged yesterday, and reiterated it today, that the duo had came over to her house and offered cash and position for her to withdraw from the Penanti by-election.
She alleged that she was offered the president’s post in one of the local municipalities in Penang and RM80,000 as reimbursement for her by-election expenses, including election deposit, for her to withdraw and give a walkover to PKR candidate Mansor Othman.
She also claimed that the duo had offered her the post of deputy chief minister 1 in the Pakatan Rakyat state government if she contests and wins the by-election.
According to her, the offers were made by the duo with the blessing of PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim.However, the top PKR leadership has denied knowledge of any such dealings between Cheah, Lim (left) and Aminah.
Cheah stressed that he and Lim have gone to visit Aminah on that day in their personal capacity, not on an official political mission.
He expressed sadness that Aminah had exploited their friendship and used them as pawns for her own selfish gain.
'She invited us for lunch and framed us'
"It's sad and wrong of her to issue misguiding and misleading statements over a casual conversation among friends," said Cheah, a qualified lawyer.
Lim, on the other hand, said he never thought Aminah would have recorded their conversation and taken photographs of them using a mobile phone camera without their knowledge."I am hurt that she had invited us to her home for lunch, framed us and implicated us with a wrongdoing out of nothing.
"She has abused our friendship to gain political mileage," said Lim, a special officer to the Pakatan Rakyat state government executive councillor, Law Choo Kiang.
Cheah and Lim did not want to go into details of their conversation with Aminah to avoid legal complications.
However, they said Aminah had always expressed her desire to rejoin PKR, which she left in 2007 under acrimonious circumstances following a political fallout with the state party leadership, and were seeking out their opinions and views on her wish whenever they met, including that day in May.
"Our conversations that day was similar to all our friendly chats we have had routinely over the years,” they said.
'I did not betray our friendship'
Earlier today, Aminah has acknowledged that the duo were her close friends. But she vehemently refuted accusations that she had betrayed her friendship by tape recording their conversation with their knowledge.
She claimed that she had done it merely to safeguard her interests as she had previously been a victim herself to recordings done secretly by PKR members.
She handed over copies of the compact disc with audio recording and photographs of Cheah and Lim having a meal in her house to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and Election Commission for further action.A PKR legal team, headed by party vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah, had today served Aminah a legal notice of demand seeking a public apology, withdrawal of her allegations and damages for slander.
Aminah said she would initiate a respond according to the notice of demand.
The by-election will see PKR's Mansor facing off three independents, including Aminah, who is a former PKR women's wing leader.
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