He said this followed the failure of the Barisan Nasional (BN) to defeat the Penang Pakatan Harapan in the last general election.
“This is not the first time Lim Guan Eng is being persecuted by the Barisan Nasional government.”
He said Lim was arrested in 1994 for criticising the government.
“Lim was then charged under Section 4(1) (b) of the Sedition Act 1948 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984. He was sentenced to 18 months jail and served time in Kajang prison.
“Despite his incarceration, Lim never lost the trust of the people and was immediately voted back into Parliament and the Penang state assembly in 2008.
“He has since proven the Opposition’s ability to rule in Malaysia and transformed Penang into the most envied state in the country.
“We believe in Lim Guan Eng’s integrity and innocence and we will stand resolutely with him to fight these charges, which are made without legal basis.”
Pua said Lim was expected to be charged in the George Town Sessions Court under Section 23 of the MACC Act and Section 165 of the Penal Code. The first charge relates to alleged abuse of power with regards to the re-zoning of land, and the second concerns the bungalow, which he is accused of acquiring below market price.
“Over the past few months, the chief minister and Penang state government have demonstrated proof that there was no impropriety in Lim’s purchase of the bungalow as there were no contracts or benefits granted to the seller, whether directly or indirectly.
“Hence the MACC’s move to prosecute Lim, which coincided with the resignation of the top two MACC officials just days earlier, is clearly designed to destroy him politically.”
Pua alleged the arrest also demonstrated the Najib administration’s sense of invincibility after the convincing wins in the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections.
“The prime minister is seizing the opportunity to further weaken the Opposition after imprisoning (former Opposition leader) Anwar Ibrahim, before possibly calling for an early election next year.”