No need to step down, DAP tells Guan Eng

KUALA LUMPUR: Just a day after Penang DAP expressed confidence in Chief minister Lim Guan Eng (pix), the party's leadership today stressed that there was no need for him to take leave from office.
DAP central executive committee (CEC) unanimously resolved that Lim should remain as the state's chief minister despite being charged for abuse of power and graft at the Penang High Court yesterday.
It's acting national chairman Tan Kok Wai said there was no question of conflict of interest as Lim has no influence or control over the prosecution.
"Furthermore, the CEC believes the charges to be completely baseless and nothing more than an attempt to topple the democratically elected chief minister, as well as to destabilise our party.
"Lim is a man of impeccable integrity and honesty. We have no doubt of his leadership. The party will stand by him against all odds," he told a press conference after the CEC meeting, here, today.
Yesterday, Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow had said that they decided that Lim need not step down or resign from his post as Penang chief minister.
Meanwhile, Tan said another resolution that was passed today was to form a national committee for a "Support, Sympathy and Solidarity with Lim Guan Eng" campaign to be chaired by its national organising secretary Anthony Loke.
The committee will visit states nationwide to shore up support for Lim, and to refocus the rakyat's view on the real corruption involving budget in the country.
Lim later said the aim of the committee was not to encourage the public to hold street demonstrations, but warned that the people should not be underestimated.