This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on July 26, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has denied claims that it will terminate two corruption charges against Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The anti-graft agency said it has no power to perform such action for any legal case.

“On the contrary, [the prerogative] is under the purview of the Attorney-General’s Chambers,” MACC said in a statement on its website.

Local news portals reported earlier yesterday that MACC is likely to withdraw the two charges against Guan Eng upon the resumption of his corruption trial next week. The reports were based on a report, quoting an MACC source, in Chinese daily China Press.

On June 30 last year, Guan Eng claimed trial to using his position then as the chief minister of Penang  to obtain a plot of land and a bungalow at below market value.

He also pleaded not guilty to gaining gratification for himself and his wife Betty Chew by approving the application for conversion of agricultural land to a public housing zone to a company.

Businesswoman Phang Li Khoon, 46, also pleaded not guilty to abetting Lim in obtaining the bungalow at an undervalued cost.

On May 21, Lim’s trial was adjourned to July 30 pending a review of the charges by the new attorney-general, Tommy Thomas.