KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court has granted former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s application for the permanent release of his international passport.
Judge Azura Alwi approved the application due to Lim’s requirement to travel abroad frequently for official duties.
The court maintained the RM1 million bail amount but varied the condition to require monthly reporting to the Penang MACC office.
Lim’s lawyer Mohd Haijan Omar informed the court about his client’s appointment as an Honorary Chairman of the ASEAN-China Association for the Promotion of Industrial Cooperation and Development.
“The applicant is required to travel abroad frequently to attend meetings, conventions or international exhibitions in his official capacity,“ said the lawyer.
Mohd Haijan emphasized that repeated temporary passport applications would belittle and embarrass the accused given his official representation duties.
Deputy public prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh objected to the application, citing the seriousness of the charges and potential flight risk.
“The applicant has the opportunity to interfere with prosecution witnesses given his position as an influential politician,“ she argued.
Farah Yasmin stated that repeated passport applications represent normal court procedure rather than embarrassment for the accused.
Lim faces an amended charge of abusing his position as former Penang chief minister to receive RM3.3 million in bribes.
The alleged offence involved assisting a company owned by Zarul Ahmad in securing the RM6.34 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.
The prosecution claims the bribery occurred between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Chief Minister’s Office in Penang.
Lim also faces a second amended charge of soliciting a 10% bribe from the project’s future profits.
This alleged solicitation occurred near The Gardens Hotel in Mid Valley City during March 2011.
Additionally, the Bagan MP faces two charges of improperly disposing of state-owned land valued at RM208.8 million.
These land disposal offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office in 2015 and 2017. – Bernama
