Confidential discussion between Guan Eng, two businesspersons in 2017 at 2am

Confidential discussion between Guan Eng, two businesspersons in 2017: Witness

Then Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng and businessperson Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli held a confidential discussion at 2am in 2017, actress K Geethanjali Gausillia testified.

The first prosecution witness was testifying on the first day of former finance minister Lim’s corruption trial linked to the Penang undersea tunnel project.

She testified that not only Lim and Zarul, but the confidential discussion also involved her husband, businessperson G Gnanaraja.

Zarul is a senior executive director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, the main contractor for the undersea tunnel project. He is also a key prosecution witness.

Gnanaraja is currently facing separate criminal charges at the Shah Alam Sessions Court in relation to the undersea tunnel project.

During open-court proceedings before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today, Geethanjali testified that Lim and Zarul held the confidential discussion with Gnanaraja at the couple’s house at Petaling Jaya, Selangor, in August 2017.

While reading out from a written witness statement, the 35-year-old actress testified that her husband woke her up at 2am that night when Lim and Zarul came to the house.

She said she then woke her mother, and both left the bedroom and went to the ground floor of the house, where Gnanaraja introduced her to Lim and Zarul.

Geethanjali testified Zarul then took pictures of Gnanaraja, her, her mother, and Lim inside the house.



Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd senior executive director Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli

She said through Zarul’s own handphone, around six to seven pictures were taken at several parts of the house, with Zarul later sending the pictures to Gnanaraja.

The witness said that after the pictures were taken, she then served drinks to the two guests.

“After taking the pictures, more or less around 30 minutes later, my husband asked me and my mother to leave because he needed to discuss a confidential matter with YB (Yang Berhormat) Lim Guan Eng and (Datuk) Zarul.

“I abided by my husband’s order and later my mother and I immediately went back to the bedroom to resume sleep.

“I confirm after that, I did not find out what information was discussed with my husband and YB Lim Guan Eng on that night, and I confirm my husband has never shared any other information involving my husband and YB Lim Guan Eng,” Geethanjali said during the examination-in-chief by DPP Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.

The witness, who is also a businessperson, told judge Azura Alwi that as far as she remembered, Lim had come only once to her house, and that Zarul a few times for business purposes with her husband.

“I do not know what is their business with my husband. I did not invite Lim Guan Eng to come to the house and I am not a fan or supporter of Lim Guan Eng.

“I took pictures with YB Lim Guan Eng because my husband asked me to take pictures with YB Lim Guan Eng for the memories,” she said.

During cross-examination by Lim’s counsel Gobind Singh Deo, Geethanjali conceded that it was not unusual for her to meet politicians in the past, and that it was usual to have her picture taken with them.

The witness also conceded that Gnanaraja knew many politicians, and that they had paid visits to the house.

Gobind: You told the court that you met Lim Guan Eng at the house?

Geethanjali: Correct.

Gobind: My question to you is, that it was normal for you to meet politicians?

Geethanjali: Before this, yes.

Gobind: So it is normal that when meeting politicians, for pictures to be taken together?

Geethanjali: Yes.



Actress K Geethanjali Gausillia

Lim faces four graft charges in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

One charge, framed under Section 16(A)(a) and Section 23 of the MACC Act, accuses him of using his position as then Penang chief minister for the gratification of RM3.3 million as inducement for helping a company belonging to Zarul to secure the island state’s RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project.

The offence was allegedly perpetrated at the Penang Chief Minister's Office, 28th Floor, Komtar, George Town, Penang, between January 2011 and August 2017.

Under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act, the offence is punishable with imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

The second charge, also under Section 16(A)(a), accused Lim, in his capacity as the then Penang chief minister, to have solicited from Zarul bribes amounting to 10 percent of the profits to be earned by the company as gratification for helping secure the project.

The offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur, between 12.30am and 2am in March 2011.

The charge, framed under Section 16 of the MACC Act, provides for imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Lim also faces two counts of causing two plots of land, worth RM208.8 million and belonging to the Penang government, to be disposed of to two companies allegedly linked to the undersea tunnel project.

The two charges, framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, specify imprisonment of up to five years, whipping and a fine.

The offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Level 21, Komtar, between Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017.

'Charges not in bad faith'

Meanwhile, MACC officer Saadon Abd Samad earlier denied the defence's contention that the case against Lim was done mala fide (bad faith).

The second prosecution witness testified this during a cross-examination by Gobind.

Defence counsel Gobind Singh Deo

Saadon, who is attached to the MACC's handphone forensic unit, told the court that he conducted analysis on a Sony Xperia handphone, alleged to contain selfie pictures of Lim and Gnanaraja, dated between Aug 18 and 31, 2017.

He had testified that the forensic analysis was conducted early this year. Lim was charged late last year.

Saadon's testimony also did not indicate whose handphone it was that the forensic analysis was being conducted on.

Gobind had questioned Saadon whether the case against Lim was driven by bad faith due to the forensic analysis being done on the handphone earlier this year rather than before Lim was charged late last year.

"This case is different. Why do we charge first, then only conduct forensic (analysis)?

"By right, conduct forensic first, then decide whether to charge or not," Gobind said.

"I say this prosecution (against Lim) is mala fide," the lawyer contended, to which Saadon disagreed.

Later today during re-examination by Wan Shaharuddin, the witness reiterated that every investigation was carried out with precision to ascertain the element of offences committed.

Wan Shaharuddin: Why do you disagree (with Gobind's questioning)?

Saadon: Every investigation is conducted precisely to evaluate the element of the offence committed.

The trial before Azura will resume tomorrow morning.