Gerakan has asked Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to explain the arrest of a state-appointed senior consultant by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for alleged graft involving RM 350, 000.

“Lim should come out clean to tell the people whether the state government had blundered in appointing the person concerned, or was it a case of nepotism?” said Penang Gerakan treasurer Ng Fook On in a statement.

Ng said the arrest was a “big slap” on Lim’s government which professed the CAT (Competent, Accountable and Transparent) mantra, which should ideally by changed to Complaining, Accusing and Twisting.

Newspapers reported yesterday that the consultant was arrested at his office in George Town on Wednesday night by MACC officers who had been monitoring the man’s lifestyle and activities over the past few months following information that he had allegedly demanded money from contractors.

The reports said the consultant was said to have demanded RM 400, 000 from one of the contractors involved in the RM11mil upgrading works of the Free Trade Zone in Bayan Baru. The project is being carried out by the Penang Municipal Council.