The calls for the Attorney General to cite DAP Chairman Lim Guan Eng for contempt of court following his remarks after his trial are baseless as he was merely reiterating his innocence which he has maintained right from the beginning.
It was reported that various police reports have been lodged for the said purpose but it must be remembered that Lim has always taken the position there is no truth to the allegations against him and has left it to his lawyer to prove that this is the case in the course of the trial.
In the circumstances, his comments do not in any way touch on the integrity of the court proceedings, neither do they question the integrity of the judge hearing his case.
Contempt proceedings may be instituted against one who interferes in the administration of justice but merely telling the public that one intends to clear his name through his lawyer in court cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, amount to such interference.
The truth of the matter will emerge during the trial, particularly after the complainant has been cross examined but Guan Eng should be allowed to maintain his innocence, which is consistent with his plea of not guilty right from the beginning of his trial.