Former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng was today charged with allegedly seeking a bribe from a company awarded a contract to undertake the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.

The DAP secretary-general claimed trial at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for the charge under Section 16(a)(A) of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, for allegedly asking 10 percent of profits from Zarul Zulkifli to help his company, Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, secure the project to build the undersea tunnel, in March 2011.

Lim served as the Penang chief minister from 2008 to 2018.

He faces a maximum 20 years in jail, and a fine of up to five times the value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

According to reports, Lim was represented by his DAP colleagues cum lawyers, Gobind Singh Deo, Ramkarpal Singh, and RSN Rayer, while the prosecution was led by Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, who asked for RM2 million bail and asked the court to order Lim to surrender his passport.

Wan Shaharuddin further urged the court to order Lim to report to the MACC headquarters on the first of every month, and to not contact any of the witness involved in the case.

Gobind, however, argued against the high bail amount request, saying Lim was not a flight risk, and he had cooperated well with the authorities all this while.

Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi then fixed bail at RM1 million and ordered Lim to surrender his passport.

DAP leaders turned in droves to offer support for Lim. This included his father, Lim Kit Siang, current Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, and former transport minister Anthony Loke, among others.

Lim was detained by the MACC last night after he turned himself in at the commission's headquarters in Putrajaya.

He is expected to face more charges at the Penang Sessions Court next Monday and Tuesday, over other cases.


Source: NST, The Star
Photo source: Malay Mail