Former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has been charged for receiving bribe of more than RM3.3 million at the Butterworth Sessions Court today (10 August) in relation to the Penang Undersea Tunnel project valued at RM6,341,383,702.
According to Bernama, he was charged for abusing his power as Chief Minister of Penang back then, to obtain a total of RM3,300,000 in gratification for himself as an inducement for helping a company owned by Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli.
Guan Eng is alleged to commit the offence at the office of the Penang Chief Minister, Level 28, Komtar, Georgetown between January 2011 and August 2017.
However, the Bagan Member of Parliament pleaded not guilty to the charge which was read out before judge Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid.
The charge was framed under Section 23 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1). If found guilty, the offender can face up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Guan Eng was represented by two lawyers; Gobind Singh Deo and Ramkarpal Singh, and the prosecution team was lead by Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib (MACC).
Guan Eng was first charged with soliciting gratification for the Penang Undersea Tunnel project at Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court last Friday where he pleaded not guilty to the claim and was allowed a bail of RM1 million in two sureties.
Press Conference at his Bagan Service Centre
After his second charge at the court today, Lim said in a press conference that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has yet to show him the whereabouts of the RM3.3 million. He claimed that the charge was “politically motivated”.
Having a stretch of 7.2 kilometres, the Penang Undersea Tunnel Project is said to begin in 2023 which will connect Penang Island from Persiaran Gurney to the mainland at Bagan Ajam.
Also read: UPDATE: Lim Guan Eng Pleads Not Guilty, Bail Set At RM1 Million
