Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng denied today that he “ran away” from questions on his absence from the debate and eventual passing of the dreaded Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota).

Lim admitted to being in Australia during the session but declined to say if he was on holiday or was there on an official matter.

"I was not running away from the questions. We have explained it. Everyone is gunning for me," he lamented.

"Why don't you go for (PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang, who was absent from the sessions on both Pota and amendments to the Sedition Act?" Lim asked.

"We did not expect the speaker to stop the clock and bulldoze the bill. We expected it to be debated the next week," Lim said when asked about his absence after a press conference at the Seberang Perai Municipal Council.

He said this when asked about a short video clip posted on the China Press Facebook page yesterday, in which he is seen walking away from a reporter who appeared to be trying to ask him some questions.

Lim left the press conference after completing his session and told the reporter he would respond to her query "next time" but she persisted in asking him.

On April 7, Parliament speaker Pandikar Amin stopped the clock at midnight - a move highly condemned by his critics - and allowed the Pota bill to be debated.

It was eventually passed at 2.25am - after a 12-hour debate - by 79 votes to 60.

The 26 Pakatan MPs were criticised for not turning up in full force to oppose the bill, even though many had legitimate reasons for their absence.

The new law has been strongly criticised for allowing detention without trial and for not being subject to judicial review.