GEORGE TOWN: Police questioned Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and three PKR state assemblymen for an hour at Lim's office on 12 police reports which were lodged against the chief minister and the trio between January and February this year.

Lawyer RSN Rayer, who represented Lim and assemblymen Sim Tze Tsin (Pantai Jerejak), Jason Ong (Kebun Bunga) and V Raveendran (Batu Uban), told a press conference today that 11 of the 12 police reports had been lodged by police officers and one by a civilian.

The reports were lodged under Section 27(5) of the Police Act 1967 for illegal assembly, Section 4(1)(C) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 500 of the Penal Code for criminal defamation.

Nine police officers from the north-east district police recorded their statements.

Rayer said seven statements were recorded from Lim, while the three state assemblymen gave four statements each.

Ten out of the 12 police reports were against Lim and two were supposedly lodged after two Chinese New Year open houses held by Ong and state executive councillor (exco) Abdul Malik Abul Kassim.

Rayer said most of the reports referred to the series of explanations given by those involved in relation to the attacks against the state government, including the allegations of Malays in Penang being sidelined.

Prior to this, the police had recorded statements from Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman, Deputy Chief Minister II Prof P Ramasamy, Abdul Malik, state exco Chow Kon Yeow and Lim's political secretary Ng Wei Aik.