Lim Guan Eng should be a gentleman and take a leave of absence as Penang chief minister until his corruption trial is concluded, PAS spiritual advisor Datuk Dr Ustaz Haron Din has said.
In an interview with Mingguan Malaysia, Utusan Malaysia’s weekend edition, Haron said such a move was customary in many countries throughout the world.
“As a gentleman, he (Guan Eng) should take leave,” the PAS leader reportedly said.
Ustaz Haron added that Lim should emulate CIMB Group Holdings Bhd Chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, who took a 30-day voluntary leave of absence while the bank conducted an internal investigation over the latter’s handling of US$7 million (RM28.6 million) on behalf of his brother, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Following his leave, the bank appointed an external audit firm, Messrs Ernst & Young to assist with the review, which eventually concluded that Nazir did not misuse his position as the then group chief executive nor was there any inappropriate use of the bank’s resources.
“It has become a common practice in the modern world especially in Malaysia where a civil servant faced with a heavy charge like corruption, abuse of power, usually takes voluntary leave.
“The last case we heard was CIMB Group Holdings Bhd Chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, who took temporary leave, even though it was not an official charge and just in the news,”Ustaz Haron explained.
