UNDERSEA TUNNEL CASE: GUAN ENG SUBMITS REPRESENTATION TO DROP CORRUPTION CHARGES

KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 (Bernama) -- Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has submitted a representation to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to drop four corruption charges involving the construction of the undersea tunnel and road projects in Penang worth over RM6 billion.

The representation was submitted in June on the grounds that there was a contradiction in the testimony given by key prosecution witness and Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli to the court and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission regarding the fraud case of businessman G. Gnanaraja involving RM19 million over the same undersea tunnel case.

The proceedings to challenge the credibility of this witness will continue on July 19 before Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin confirmed the matter when contacted today.

According to the first amended charge, Lim, 63, is accused of using his position as the chief minister of Penang to receive bribes amounting to RM3.3 million by helping a company owned by Zarul Ahmad to be appointed to carry out the Construction of Main Roads and Tunnel in Penang worth RM6,341,383,702 between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office.

As for the second amended charge, Lim is alleged to have asked for a bribe of 10 per cent of the profit obtained by Zarul Ahmad as an inducement to help the businessman’s company be appointed for the same project.

Lim allegedly committed the act near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City here between 12.30 am and 2 am in March 2011.

He also faces two charges of causing two lots of land owned by the Penang government worth RM208.8 million to be disposed of to two companies linked to the undersea tunnel project in the state which was allegedly carried out at the Penang State Land and Mines Office, Komtar on Feb 17, 2015 and March 22, 2017.

-- BERNAMA