Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong recalled many scandals involving Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik and have called on PPBM to reject his membership. — Picture by Mukhriz Hazim

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — A Pakatan Harapan lawmaker has made a strong call for Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM)’s Melaka chapter to reject any membership application by former Melaka chief minister Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik — dubbing him the “Father of all Melaka scandals”.

In a press statement today, Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong recalled many scandals involving Rahim and pointed out that the latter is not the father of Melaka’s development as touted by some parties.

“To recall, Rahim Thamby Chik was the former Melaka Chief Minister involved in numerous scandals. In 1994, he was involved in a statutory rape case against a student, which was then covered up by the Attorney General.

“Instead, Lim Guan Eng, who was the Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka at that time, was imprisoned under the Sedition Act and Printing and Publications Act for standing up and demanding justice for the victim,” said the DAP leader.

He also pointed out that Rahim was also one of the individuals who seek to humiliate incoming prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim by publicly screening a false sex video back in 2011 in Carcosa Seri Negara.

Another scandal that Khoo dragged out of the closet was a police report lodged by Anwar in 1999 which alleged Rahim to have been involved in abuse of power and corruption.

“In 1994, according to a police report made by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1999, the Attorney General and Anti-Corruption Agency had prima facie evidence that Rahim Thamby Chik was involved in misuse of power and corruption in the Syarikat Dayamik case.

“The Attorney General again decided to cover up the case and no action was taken,” said Khoo.

He then called for the PH Presidential Council to discuss the party hopping issue urgently and take a firm stance to ensure this does not snowball any further.

The DAP lawmaker also claimed that accepting former Umno leaders and members into PH is a betrayal against the people and PH members who struggled against the Barisan Nasional regime over the years.

“Parliament and the Cabinet must also discuss this issue and take steps to reform existing laws to ensure unethical party hopping would not happen again because it has time and again threatened the democratic processes and system in our country,” said Khoo.