Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has claimed that the criminal charge against him was politically motivated to tarnish his reputation.

"Let me state that this is a baseless allegation and politically motivated to tarnish my reputation as an opposition MP.

"I want to stress that we don't practice corruption. We fight corruption," he told the media at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex today.

Earlier, Lim, who was the finance minister in the former Pakatan Harapan government, claimed trial to a charge of soliciting a bribe in connection with the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.