Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today clarified the rationale behind DAP’s decision to call for snap polls in the state even as he faces two corruption charges.

Lim said since the arrest and jailing of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim for sodomy, there have been many “abuses of power” affecting the development and economy of the country.

Such power abuses also violated the democratic rights of Malaysians, he claimed, when asked about the objective of calling for the snap polls.

“We feel that with these abuses of power, it is right to ask the people to pass a verdict; of course how they are going to pass the verdict is what we are discussing,” Lim said at a press conference in Komtar today.

“We cannot continue like this, the economy is wrecked because of corruption scandals, the abuses of power have deprived people of their rights, and at the same time, people feel there is no hope for Malaysia.

“In order to revive and restore that hope, it is necessary to revive the democratic process where people are the boss, they have the right to decide and I think, there is nothing wrong in returning the mandate to the people,” said the DAP secretary-general.

Lim said “returning the mandate to the people” has always been one of Pakatan Harapan’s principles, and the coalition will continue with discussions on the matter.

He added that in any coalition, parties must be allowed to function by allowing room as well as time for discussion to take place.

Speculation of a snap election in Penang has been circulating since last week, when the state DAP discussed but rejected the matter.

The issue was raised in the DAP central executive committee on Monday, and on Tuesday, PKR called for a meeting to discuss the issue.

However, PKR was “unconvinced” with DAP’s reason for calling early polls, and despatched its top leaders to meet Lim in Penang today.

Lim met with PKR deputy president-cum-Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali, vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar and national election director Saifuddin Nasution for 90 minutes to discuss the matter with DAP.

During the press conference today, Lim said he was touched by the trio’s visit and the interest PKR has shown to deliberate on the matter.

Lim was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on June 29, and the following day he was slapped with two corruption charges in the Penang High Court.

The charges are related to the purchase of his RM2.8 million bungalow on Jalan Pinhorn. He was accused of purchasing the unit below market value, an offence for a public official under the Penal Code.

But Lim has denied the charge, saying he purchased the house on a “willing seller, willing buyer basis”.

He was also accused of approving the rezoning of a plot of land - from agriculture to residential use - in Balik Pulau, which belongs to the firm Magnificient Emblem Sdn Bhd.

Phang holds a 30 percent stake in the firm, and was arrested and charged for abetting Lim in the alleged graft but has denied the charge, saying she has no business links with the state government.