Penang NGOs have expressed extreme disappointment over recent personal attacks against local councillor Lim Mah Hui.

They condemned the public vilification of Mah Hui, who has been branded a “hero with lies”.

The series of attacks against Mah Hui over his complaints about lack of enforcement on car towing were first fired by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and a group of Penang Island City councillors.

The coalition of NGOs – Penang Forum – described Lim's attack against Mah Hui on March 12 as "highly disparaging".

"We are truly shocked by this frenzy and uproar over a complaint of ‘lack of enforcement’, a constant daily problem in our urban lives.

"Is a councillor not supposed to highlight these issues?" Penang Forum asked in a statement.

"Should he be belittled and abused for doing so based on figures presented to him? Isn’t transparency what is advocated by the state government?" the NGO asked.

Penang Forum reminded the chief minister that Mah Hui, who is also an NGO representative, is the epitome of the kind of Penangite that the government wishes to encourage to return and to serve the state.

The NGOs said belittling Mah Hui in public is "unbecoming" of a government that advocates competency, accountability and transparency.

The row started during a dialogue between Lim and Penang Forum on Feb 29, where there was a discussion on illegal parking and towing of cars.

Mah Hui's figure about the number of cars towed by the MBPP arose because the latter and the media did not take into account his full explanation.

Mah Hui had said the MBPP only towed one car so far but the figure was based when the policy was first implemented.

In its rebuttal, the MBPP said it has so far towed away about 500 cars which were parked illegally on the streets of Penang.

"We have the highest regard for Mah Hui's professionalism; he is a professor who has taught in universities in Malaysia and the United States.

"As an international banker, he worked, among others, in Chemical Bank (now JP Morgan Chase) in New York, Credit Suisse First Boston in Singapore and Asian Development Bank in Manila," Penang Forum said.

"He is an international speaker and his works have been published internationally.

"He has also authored a book on the present global financial crisis and its impact on Asia," the NGOs added.

Nothing to gain

Penang Forum said Mah Hui, a Penangite, has decided to share his vast knowledge and experience with corporations, governments, universities, think-tanks, and civil society groups.

He is currently focused on serving the community and civil society groups in Penang and has contributed greatly to the work of Penang Forum.

"Mah Hui has chosen to return to Penang and sacrificed his time to serve the state as a city councillor for the last five years.

"Known for his unswerving integrity and straight talking, Mah Hui has little patience for intrigues and scheming," Penang Forum said.

"He speaks his mind, rights the things that he sees are wrong and laments the wrongs that he cannot change," the NGOs said.

"This is a man unlikely to misinterpret figures and reports and with too much integrity to ‘lie’.

"He has nothing to gain and nothing to prove," the NGOs added.