Guan Eng says Umno using his children as political targets

Guan Eng says Umno using his children as political targets
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
January 28, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — Lim Guan Eng has accused Umno of using his children as political targets, and charged that his daughter has become the victim of attacks by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The defence minister had said that the National Service (NS) training programme was now widely accepted and trusted by parents for the positive effect it has on their children, and used the Penang chief minister’s daughter as an example.

Guan Eng dared Umno and BN leaders to take him on but leave his children alone. — File pic
He had reportedly said that even DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang had seen how his granddaughter, who went to the Balik Pulau camp, had changed for the better after attending the programme.

“His (Kit Siang’s) son and Penang chief minister (Lim Guan Eng) also told me of the positive effect of the programme and thanked me for it,” Zahid was quoted by Bernama as saying.

But Lim Guan Eng denied this, saying that Zahid’s assertions were wholly “untrue”.

“My daughter is a good kid and is the same before and after joining the NS camp. Both my father and I had never told the defence minister as claimed by him and neither had we thanked him for it,” Lim said in a statement today.

He urged Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders to not use his children as political capital to boost the federal coalition’s credentials, saying that his entire family was “upset” by Zahid’s remarks.

“My family and I love our daughter and want to protect her privacy. We have shielded her from the glare of publicity so that she can grow up and enjoy life with her friends as a normal kid.

“We hope that Datuk Seri Ahmad can respect my daughter’s privacy and not drag her into his political games to justify the NS programme,” added Lim.

The DAP secretary-general stressed that this was not the first time his children had been “unfairly targeted” by Umno, and pointed out how his 15-year old son had been defamed by Umno leaders for allegedly molesting a schoolmate.

Umno blogs also claimed Lim paid RM200,000 to cover up the scandal and transfer his teenage son to another school.

School authorities have since then confirmed that there was no such instance of sexual molestation as alleged by Umno blogs.

The picture of the alleged molest victim published online turned out to be a chess champion who lives in Hong Kong and who has never even met Lim’s son.

“I urge Umno and BN leaders to throw your lies at me if you must but please leave my children alone. They are still studying and are not in politics.

“Have BN and Umno leaders run out of ideas and ideals that their only political capital is to preach lies and hate not only against PR leaders but also at our children?” Lim asked.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/guan-eng-says-umno-using-his-children-as-political-targets/