PETALING JAYA • Malaysia's Attorney-General has issued a "final warning" to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to stop commenting on the criminal charges faced by the opposition politician.

A-G Mohamed Apandi Ali said in a statement yesterday that he issued the warning because Lim's latest comments about the corruption case were tantamount to an assault on the former's integrity as the public prosecutor.

"He has done so on the very day he was charged in court and I have already cautioned him through The Star (newspaper) to stop doing so, and in fact have asked his lawyers to advise him," said Tan Sri Apandi.

He added that he would have to defend himself against Lim's claims which questioned his integrity and in so doing, may have to disclose evidence that the prosecution has against the politician. "Suffice to say here at the moment, that most of the evidence against him (Lim) are documentary in nature and all those documents are in my possession," he said.

Lim has been charged with abuse of power and corruption over allegedly approving a rezoning application to convert agricultural land into a residential zone by a company, Magnificent Emblem, in July 2014.

The case is linked to a second charge against Lim over the purchase of a bungalow from the company director in July last year at below-market value.

Lim has claimed trial, with the case to be heard again in September. The secretary-general of the opposition Democratic Action Party is mulling over calling snap elections in Penang to test his political strength following the corruption charges.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK