KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, one of the prosecution’s star witnesses in the Penang undersea tunnel corruption trial against Lim Guan Eng, has admitted to borrowing RM2.3 million from one businessman and giving RM2 million to another.
Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) former director Zarul, whom Lim is trying to impeach as a witness, told the sessions court here during his cross-examination by the defence.
Zarul agreed with defence lawyer Tiara Katrina Fuad that there was RM2 million deposited by businessman Datuk Ng Aun Hooi through his company Vizione Construction Sdn Bhd, before it was withdrawn and given to businessman G. Gnanaraja – not former chief minister Lim.
The RM2 million is being challenged in court as it is what Lim is accused of pocketing.
Zarul also admitted that he did not reveal the purpose of the meeting he had with Ng when rectifying parts of his statement given to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in December 2019.
It was reported that Zarul did not mention Lim’s name in his MACC statement recorded on January 19 and 20, March 9 and September 2018, and that Lim’s name had only come up when the MACC recorded his statement again on December 9, 2019.
Before Zarul’s cross-examination, judge Azura Alwi warned Lim’s lawyer Haijan Omar to “get his questions straight” after his line of questioning appeared to go around in circles.
Azura: You’re asking the same questions, using different words. If we’re going with this pace, I don’t know when we can finish (this impeachment proceeding).
Haijan: We can finish it, don’t worry.
Azura: I’m not worried. But sometimes I have to control my court because this is taking too long. We go round and round on the same matter, but you’re using different words.
Haijan: I’ll move on.
Azura: Perhaps you want the witness to answer (according to) what you want, but in the end, you have to face your risks. So (now), I’m just giving you a warning. Do not go round and round.
The impeachment proceedings will continue before Azura on April 4.
On November 2 last year, judge Azura allowed Lim’s application to commence impeachment proceedings against the key prosecution witness to ascertain if there were discrepancies between Zarul’s statement recorded by MACC for the case involving Gnanaraja and his testimony in the sessions court here.
Lim, 63, 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. This is alleged to be 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% 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 12.30am and 2am 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 February 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017. – April 2, 2024