FORMER Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has pleaded not guilty to a charge of soliciting RM3.3 million bribe in relation to the RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel and three paired roads project at the Butterworth Sessions Court today.
Lim, 60, was accused of abusing his power as the then chief minister under Section 23 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 by seeking the gratification to appoint Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli’s company to build the project.
He was accused of committing the offence between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Chief Minister’s office in Komtar.
If convicted, he faces a jail term of not more than 20 years, a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of gratification, or RM10,000 whichever is higher.
Lim, who was the finance minister before Perikatan Nasional wrested federal power from Pakatan Harapan in February, also claimed trial last Friday (Aug 7) to a charge of soliciting a 10% cut of the profits from Zarul Ahmad’s company for the project.
After being charged today, Lim branded the charges as “clearly baseless accusations that are politically motivated.”
“This is because I never received that amount (RM3.3 million) and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) did not ask for any evidence whether or not the money was transferred to my personal bank account or received in the form of cash.
“This was clearly never asked by MACC,” Lim told a press conference at the Bagan service centre in Butterworth today.
Also present were his lawyers Gobind Singh Deo, Ramkarpal Singh, R.S.N. Rayer and V. Vemal Arasan, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Other state leaders, namely Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman, Deputy Chief Minister II Prof Dr P. Ramasamy, state Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo, Penang Youth and Sports Committee chairman Soon Lip Chee and state Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh were also seen at the courthouse.
Deputy public prosecutors Ahmad Akram Gharib, Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar and Francine Cheryl Rajendram prosecuted.
Judge Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid allowed an extension of the RM1 million bail from the earlier case as well as Ahmad Akram’s application to have the case transferred to the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
The atmosphere at the courthouse this morning was rather calm as only a small number of supporters turned up to show their support for Lim following advice by police and the Penang DAP to avoid large gathering due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The RM6.3 billion project involves the Air Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass, the Tanjung Bungah-Teluk Bahang bypass, the Gurney Drive-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass and the Gurney Drive-Bagan Ajam undersea tunnel.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan & Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Alvie Cheng