KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution’s main witness in the corruption case against Lim Guan Eng (pix) told the Sessions Court today that there was no direct mention that the RM2 million would be handed to the former Penang chief minister or then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, 65, said that in the Whatsapp conversation with businessman G Gnanaraja on July 17, 2017, he was the one who mentioned about the ‘chocolate’ (RM2 million) and not Gnanaraja.
Haijan: In the Whatsapp conversation on Aug 17, 2023, who does ‘CM’ refer to?
“Lim Guan Eng,” the witness said when questioned by Lim’s counsel, Haijan Omar, in front of Judge Azura Alwi.
The witness did agree with Haijan that he did not mention whether the RM2 million was for the CM or PM or Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
Zarul Ahmad testified that Gnanaraja had informed him that he would meet with ‘Big Boss’, a reference to Najib in Taman Duta, when asked about a Whatsapp conversation between them on July 23, 2017 by lawyer RSN Rayer.
Rayer: On July 23, 2017, Gnanaraja said he would celebrate ‘Big Boss’’ birthday and meet him at Taman Duta, so ‘Big Boss’ refers to Datuk Seri Najib.
Zarul Ahmad: Yes.
The witness did not agree with RSN Rayer that ‘Big Boss’ referred to Najib exclusively as he also used ‘Big Boss’ to refer to other individuals.
Lim is facing four corruption charges involving the proposed construction of an undersea tunnel and paired roads project in Penang.
On the first charge, Lim is alleged to have abused his power as then Penang Chief Minister to obtain RM3.3 million in monetary gratification as an inducement to appoint Zarul’s company to implement the RM6,341,383,702 undersea tunnel project and construction of main roads in the state.
He is alleged to have committed the offence between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office.
On the second amended charge, Lim is accused of asking Zarul for 10 per cent of profits as a reward for helping his company secure the said projects.
Lim is alleged to have committed the offence at The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City here, between 12.30 am and 2 am in March 2011.
He is also facing two other charges for dishonestly disposing of two plots of land belonging to the Penang government in Bandar Tanjong Pinang worth RM208 million to the developer of the undersea tunnel project, which was allegedly committed at the State Land and Mines Office in Komtar on Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017. -Bernama
