MACC 'very shocked' by court decision on Guan Eng

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said it was "very shocked" by a court decision to dismiss corruption charges against former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng and a businesswoman over a property purchase.
"MACC would like to stress that the decision to withdraw the case was decided by the Attorney-General's Chambers and not from MACC," it said in a brief statement today.
It was reported that lawyers representing Lim, who is now finance minister, previously submitted a written representation seeking a withdrawal of the charges, which the Attorney-General's chambers accepted.
However, prosecutors sought today for a conditional discharge that would have permitted them to renew the prosecution at a later date.
High Court judge Hadhariah Syed Ismail rejected this and instead allowed a full acquittal and discharge of both Lim and businesswoman Phang Li Koon.