I lied to media, people of Penang about undersea tunnel project - Witness

KUALA LUMPUR - A key witness in the trial of Lim Guan Eng admitted in the Sessions Court here today that he lied in a press conference, by saying there was no element of corruption in the construction of the undersea tunnel in the state.

Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, 62, said that he did so after being told by Lim not to implicate the former Penang Chief Minister in a corruption case.

Asked by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who represented Lim, the 23rd prosecution witness admitted that he had lied to journalists, the Penang government, the people and his company officials when giving the media statement.

"If I was not being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), I would not associate (this case) with Yang Berhormat Lim. I was told to make that media statement (of deceit) by Lim,” he said, and added that he was remanded by the MACC for 11 days in January 2018 to assist in the investigation of a corruption case.

He said this at the trial of a corruption case in which Lim faced four charges involving the project, which was worth RM6.3 billion.

Gobind: During the press conference, didn't Datuk Zarul say there was no element of corruption in the tunnel case?

Zarul: Yes

Gobind: Has Datuk Zarul changed that statement now?

Zarul: Yes

Earlier, when the witness was referred to an article entitled 'It was like someone putting a gun to our heads' published by the Free Malaysia Today portal on July 2, 2018, which explained the development of the undersea tunnel and main road construction projects in the state, Zarul said that the middle person referred to in the article is Baling member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

The article also mentions threats from a middleman who wanted protection money from Zarul after claiming that he had close ties with the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership.

Zarul agreed with Gobind's suggestion that the individual who claimed to be the middleman had influence in the government, which was then under the leadership of Barisan Nasional, and the prime minister at the time was Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

To Gobind's question if Zarul gave the money because it was said that Najib needed it? The witness answered "Yes”.

Lim, 61, is facing an amended charge of using his position as Penang Chief Minister to solicit RM3.3 million in bribes as an inducement to assist Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd (CZBUCG) owner, Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, to secure the project worth RM6,341,383,702.

Lim allegedly committed the offence at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office, Level 28, Komtar, George Town, between Jan 2011 and Aug 2017.

In the second amended charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a bribe of 10 per cent of the profit from the company as gratification to secure the project.

The offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City here in March 2011.

Lim, a former DAP secretary-general, faced another two charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8 million, belonging to the Penang government, to be disposed of to two companies linked to the state’s undersea tunnel project.

The trial before Judge Azura Alwi continues tomorrow. -BERNAMA