“What you thought would happen did happen after all. I myself was not surprised at his acquittal,” he told reporters after a ceramah at Desa Baiduri last night where he had campaigned for MCA’s Balakong candidate Tan Chee Teong.

The Pontian MP however questioned the reactions of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

“Why was the prime minister surprised?” he said. “Maybe he was convinced that Lim was guilty.

“Why was MACC shocked? I think it is because MACC feels that Lim was guilty. If they were convinced he was not guilty, they would not have been so shocked. That is what I think.”

Lim and businesswoman Phang Li Koon were acquitted of the corruption charges against them over the purchase of a bungalow at allegedly below market price after the prosecution dropped the charges.

The prosecution had asked the court to consider a discharge not amounting to acquittal for the two.

However, the judge, Hadhariah Syed Ismail, decided to discharge and acquit the two after agreeing with the defence counsel that it was not right for the public prosecutor to leave a cloud hanging over their heads as they might be charged again in the future.

On June 30, 2016, Lim was charged with using his public office or position as Penang chief minister to obtain gratification for himself and his wife, Betty Chew, by approving an application by Magnificent Emblem to convert agricultural land for residential purposes during a state exco meeting on July 18, 2014.

Lim was also charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code for allegedly using his position to obtain gratification by purchasing a bungalow from Phang at RM2.8 million, which was below the property’s market value of RM4.7 million at that time.

Phang, meanwhile, was charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code with abetting Lim on July 28, 2015.

She was alleged to have committed an offence under Section 165 of the Penal Code by using Lim’s position for gratification.