FMT:
Penang govt the ‘losing party’ in tunnel project, Guan Eng’s trial told
5 hours ago
Ho Kit Yen
MACC officer Zulhilmi Halim claims the loss was incurred after two plots of land were transferred to businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli
Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng is on trial for four corruption charges linked to the RM6 billion Penang undersea tunnel and roads project. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: The sessions court hearing Lim Guan Eng’s corruption trial was told today he Penang government ended up the “losing party” in the RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project.
Investigating officer Zulhilmi Halim from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said the loss was incurred after two plots of land known as Lots 702 and 713 were transferred to businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli.
He said the land swap was intended to compensate Zarul for conducting feasibility studies and preparing detailed design plans for the tunnel.
Zarul previously testified that he neither carried out the study nor prepared the plans. He also said he had received payment in full.
Zulhilmi told the court that MACC also investigated the late businessman Ewe Swee Kheng as part of its probe into the project. Ewe passed away in 2021.
“During our probe, Datuk (Ewe) told us that he met the chief minister (Lim) in 2011 to ask if there was any (state) land available for development.
“He said YB Lim told him that a plot of land was being transferred to a contractor as payment for services.
“Datuk told us to carry out a deal with the contractor to secure the land,” he said.
Zulhilmi claimed that the transfers would not have taken place without the deal in place.
The hearing continues before judge Azura Alwi on Oct 29 and Oct 30.
Lim is charged with using his position as then Penang chief minister to ask Zarul for a 10% cut of the profits from the undersea tunnel project and accepting RM3.3 million in kickbacks from the businessman.
He is also accused of two counts of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land.
The court earlier ordered that Lim’s passport be returned to him permanently.
He had handed it over to the court to fulfil the bail conditions set when he was charged in 2020.
Lim said he needed the passport as he was frequently required to travel overseas on work matters.
He said he was currently the honorary chairman of the Asean-China Association for the Promotion of Industrial Cooperation and Development, having been appointed in August.
Azura then varied Lim’s bail conditions which now require him to report to MACC’s Penang office on a monthly basis.
Investigating officer Zulhilmi Halim from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said the loss was incurred after two plots of land known as Lots 702 and 713 were transferred to businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli.
He said the land swap was intended to compensate Zarul for conducting feasibility studies and preparing detailed design plans for the tunnel.
Zarul previously testified that he neither carried out the study nor prepared the plans. He also said he had received payment in full.
Zulhilmi told the court that MACC also investigated the late businessman Ewe Swee Kheng as part of its probe into the project. Ewe passed away in 2021.
“During our probe, Datuk (Ewe) told us that he met the chief minister (Lim) in 2011 to ask if there was any (state) land available for development.
“He said YB Lim told him that a plot of land was being transferred to a contractor as payment for services.
“Datuk told us to carry out a deal with the contractor to secure the land,” he said.
Zulhilmi claimed that the transfers would not have taken place without the deal in place.
The hearing continues before judge Azura Alwi on Oct 29 and Oct 30.
Lim is charged with using his position as then Penang chief minister to ask Zarul for a 10% cut of the profits from the undersea tunnel project and accepting RM3.3 million in kickbacks from the businessman.
He is also accused of two counts of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land.
The court earlier ordered that Lim’s passport be returned to him permanently.
He had handed it over to the court to fulfil the bail conditions set when he was charged in 2020.
Lim said he needed the passport as he was frequently required to travel overseas on work matters.
He said he was currently the honorary chairman of the Asean-China Association for the Promotion of Industrial Cooperation and Development, having been appointed in August.
Azura then varied Lim’s bail conditions which now require him to report to MACC’s Penang office on a monthly basis.
Lim GE is going down..
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