File photo of graphic artist Fahmi Reza outside the Jalan Duta court, Kuala Lumpur June 6, 2016. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 – Fahmi Reza, the activist behind the controversial clown face sketch of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, wants the DAP to reveal its plans for the RM1 million it raised from the public to pay off Lim Guan Eng’s bail.

The activist pointed out on Facebook that bail money is always returned at the conclusion of the trial, regardless the verdict.

“My question, will the bail sum of RM1 million that was donated by the public be returned to every donor once LGE’s case is over?” he asked in a posting yesterday, referring to Lim by his initials.

“If not, will the money be put into a fund to help pay bail for activists who get charged in court in the future?” he asked.

The DAP began a donation drive for its secretary-general Lim shortly after the leader was charged in court with corruption and in less than 24 hours, hit its RM1 million target.

According to the party’s Penang chairman Chow Kon Yeow yesterday, the RM10 fundraiser was launched at 6pm Thursday and crossed the RM1 million mark at 2pm yesterday.

The campaign was launched after the party forked out RM890,000 from its accounts and a further RM110,000 from its national headquarters’ accounts to pay for Lim’s bail.

Shortly after the announcement, DAP’s national organising secretary Anthony Loke encouraged the public to continue donating funds to the party, saying the additional money will be used for its “Support, Sympathy and Solidarity with Lim Guan Eng” campaign.

“The campaign will take the form of a nationwide tour involving all DAP elected representatives and leaders in order to dispel the trumped-up charges of corruption against DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng,” he said.

Lim was charged with abuse of power and corruption over the alleged approval of a rezoning application by Magnificent Emblem to convert agricultural land to residential and over his purchase of his RM2.8 million house from Phang Li Koon at below market value of RM4.27 million.

The Penang chief minister claimed trial to both charges and said they were part of a conspiracy by Barisan Nasional (BN) to tarnish the good name and image of the DAP-led state administration.