PETALING JAYA: Penang DAP Chairman Chow Kon Yeow claims that the media would not have played up the alleged bribes-for-houses controversy if a family member of a state DAP rep was not involved.

Chow made this claim when commenting on the issue at the state-level National Day celebrations in Penang, The Sun Daily reported today.

Chow also revealed that Penang DAP would not be probing Sungai Pinang Assemblywoman Lim Siew Khim, whose father is at the centre of the controversy.

Lim’s father, Keat Seong, has been accused of receiving bribes to help people obtain low-cost housing units in the state.

Chow said there was no need to probe Lim as the latter was not involved in the matter.

Lim has admitted that her 68-year-old father was one of the accused in a secretly-taped video which showed a man with a broker and a “deceived” home buyer talking about settlement terms after a failed home purchase.

However, she has refuted allegations that her father solicited bribes from those seeking low-cost housing units because he did not have any power to influence the state government’s decisions.

Lim also denied being aware that her father was involved in any such racket.

Following the exposé by Penang Gerakan, Lim has been bombarded with criticism, including from MCA, which has urged her to take responsibility for the matter.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has since initiated investigations into the allegation.