Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has slammed critics who put his wife, Betty Chew, in a spot after she was offered a post in the committee of a Chinese trade organisation.

Lim said Chew had rejected the offer to sit in the property services committee of the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce (PCCC).

He trained his guns on the BN media, which he accused of playing up the issue.

"Has the BN media ran out of issues to attack me when the PCCC  has also said Chew had not accepted the post?" Lim asked, visibly upset after being asked about the matter at a press conference today.

"If you can’t to go for me, come straight at me. Don't go after my wife or son," he said. “Next will be my mother, is it?” Lim said.

He said any organisation has the right to nominate anyone to sit on their committees.

'Attack me directly...'

He urged his critics to attack him directly instead of "hurting" his wife.

"Does the media go for the wives of BN leaders? My wife has no plane or other such things," he said.

Lim was responding to media reports speculating Chew's appointment in the committee.

Malaysiakini contacted Chew (right), but she declined to comment on the matter.

Critics pointed out that the matter smacked of conflict of interest as Lim heads the committee on land matters in the state government ,while business tycoon Tan Kok Ping is PCCC adviser.

PCCC has expressed regret that the issue had been "politicised by the society" as Chew is yet to accept the appointment offer.

PCCC said it offered individuals from all sectors, political parties, NGOs, ethnic and religious groups to sit on its committees.

The chamber is a trade organisation and its committees serve its members and public interest.