Lim Guan Eng is accused of using his position as then Penang chief minister to solicit a 10% share of profits from the undersea tunnel project and accepting RM3.3 million in bribes from Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli. (Bernama pic)KUALA LUMPUR: The defence in Lim Guan Eng’s corruption trial contended in the sessions court today the Penang government “never incurred any losses” when the ownership of two plots of state-owned land was transferred to a contractor.Lawyer Haijan Omar said the two plots were payment to Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd, formerly owned by businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli, as agreed by both parties, for feasibility studies on the construction of three paired roads linked to the undersea tunnel project.Disputing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s probe into the former chief minister over the alleged dishonest misappropriation of state land, Haijan asked MACC investigating officer Zulhilmi Halim if he agreed that his investigation came to the wrong conclusion.Zulhilmi disagreed, saying the transfer of ownership could only be granted to the contractor after the company had completed the feasibility studies for both the roads and the tunnel project.He maintained that the Penang government incurred losses in the transaction.In October last year, Zulhilmi told the court the Penang government ended up as the “losing party” in the RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project.He said the loss was incurred after two plots of land, known as Lots 702 and 713, were transferred to Zarul, and that the land swap was intended to compensate Zarul for conducting feasibility studies and preparing detailed design plans for the tunnel.Lim is accused of using his position as then chief minister to solicit a 10% share of profits from the undersea tunnel project and accepting RM3.3 million in bribes from Zarul.He also faces two charges of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land.The hearing before judge Azura Alwi continues on Aug 3.
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