MACC records once indicated insufficient evidence against Guan Eng in tunnel probe, court told

“KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — Earlier Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation records into the Penang undersea tunnel project had indicated there was insufficient evidence against former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng before further investigations were carried out in 2020, according to The Star. According to the report, MACC investigating officer Zulhilmi Ramli told the Sessions Court today that he had initially joined a task force in early 2020 to review earlier statements and documents linked to the project following a complaint lodged in 2018. During cross-examination by defence counsel Haijan Omar, Zulhilmi agreed that, based on the materials reviewed at the time, existing statements and documents in the investigation papers were insufficient and required further clarification. He also agreed with a suggestion by the defence that, as of June 2020, there was insufficient evidence against Lim. Zulhilmi reportedly said that he only took over as investigating officer in June 2020, after several earlier officers had handled different investigation papers relating to the project. The witness also agreed that internal minutes or memos in the investigation papers contained references indicating there was “no case” against Lim at the time and that investigations had earlier been halted pending further developments. However, Zulhilmi disagreed with the defence’s suggestion that the investigation was solely focused on Lim, maintaining that the probe involved multiple individuals linked to the Penang undersea tunnel and three main roads project, The Star reported. He told the court he had reviewed earlier investigation papers containing statements from several witnesses and that further clarification was later sought from some of them as part of continuing investigations. Lim, 65, faces charges of using his position to obtain RM3.3 million in gratification linked to the project, as well as a second charge involving an alleged 10 per cent profit from the project. He also faces two charges related to the disposal of Penang government land valued at RM208.8 million to companies linked to the project. The trial before Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi continues on June 4 and 5.

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