
Witness says he told MACC superiors about payments given to Lim Guan Eng
MACC Senior Superintendent Ng Heng Jun said during a fraud investigation on Dec 9, 2019, Zarul Ahmad, who was then the director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB), revealed he had given money to both G. Gnanaraja and Lim.
"Datuk Zarul only told me in general terms about the money given to Lim. I was not involved in the investigation into the money given to Lim because the case was handled by another investigating officer.
"I then reported the matter to the MACC superiors, and I was informed that a special investigation would be conducted into the case," said Ng, who is the investigating officer in the RM19 million fraud case involving Gnanaraja.
The 36th prosecution witness said this during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh at the trial of the corruption case involving the construction of a major road and undersea tunnel project in Penang worth RM6.3 billion, involving the former Penang chief minister.
Ng said he never stopped Zarul Ahmad, who is the 23rd prosecution witness, from giving evidence to the MACC regarding the money given to Lim.
"I asked him (Zarul Ahmad) to give evidence regarding the handing over of money to Lim for the case against Lim because I don't want Datuk Zarul's evidence to be mixed up with the case I am investigating, because the two cases are different," he said.
According to the amended first charge, Lim, 64, is charged in his capacity as the then chief minister of Penang, of abusing his position to receive a bribe of RM3.3 million to assist a company owned by Zarul Ahmad in securing the Major Roads and Undersea Tunnel Construction Project in Penang, valued at RM6,341,383,702.
The offence allegedly took place between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Chief Minister's Office in Penang.
Under the amended second charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a 10 per cent bribe out of the project's future profits from Zarul Ahmad for assisting his company in securing the same project.
The offence allegedly took place near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, between 12.30am and 2.00am in March 2011.
Additionally, Lim faces two charges of disposing of a couple of state-owned lots of land in Penang, valued at RM208.8 million, to a developer linked to the undersea tunnel project.
These offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Komtar, on Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
2 cops nabbed for allegedly taking RM635,000 bribe
The two suspects, in their 40s, were arrested at MACC's Johor headquarters at about 2am today while giving their statements. PETALING JAYA : Two policemen have been remanded for seven days on suspicion of soliciting and accepting a RM635,000 bribe to not take action against an individual over a gambling offence. The suspects were placed under remand until Aug 5 by the Johor Bahru magistrates' court following an application by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. Berita Harian quoted an MACC source as saying the duo, in their 40s, were arrested at the commission's Johor headquarters at about 2am today while giving their statements. 'Both suspects are believed to have conspired to solicit and accept the bribe in return for not taking action against the individual for gambling activities,' the source said. 'The suspects are believed to have received the bribe in cash.' Johor MACC deputy operations director Hairul Ilham Hamzah confirmed the arrests.


The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Two cops remanded over case involving RM635,000 bribe
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Johor has remanded two police officers suspected of soliciting and receiving bribes amounting to approximately RM635,000 from an individual in exchange for not taking action over illegal gambling activities. Magistrate Mohammad Izham Mohd Aliyas ordered a seven-day remand order following an application by the MACC at the Johor Baru Magistrate's Court on Wednesday (July 30) morning. "Both male suspects, aged in their 40s, were arrested at around 2am on Wednesday when they appeared at the Johor MACC office to provide their statements. "Preliminary investigations revealed that the two suspects are believed to have conspired to solicit and receive bribe money in return for not taking action against an individual involved in gambling activities. "The suspects are believed to have received the bribe in cash," said the MACC. It added that Johor MACC operations deputy director Hairul Ilham Hamzah confirmed the arrests and said the case is being investigated under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009.


New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Throw them out, MACC chief says of corrupt Immigration staff
KUALA LUMPUR: Rogue Immigration Department personnel involved in counter-setting activities and the "flying passport" ruse must be thrown out, says Malaysia's top graft buster. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said if any of these personnel are found guilty of being involved in such activities, the right move to make would be to throw them out. "Stern action must be taken to ensure that these personnel at the border entry and exits conduct themselves with integrity at all times," he said. Azam said we was also looking forward to meeting with Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain soon. "We plan to hold a discussion with him especially on the counter-setting and the "flying passport" ruse. Counter-setting refers to the act of allowing foreigners to enter the country without proper inspection by going through designated or pre-determined lanes at Immigration entry points. The "flying passport" ruse, or ghost entries, occur when passports are scanned and recorded as having entered the country, but the passport holder never physically crosses the border, creating a false immigration record. This ruse is often used to aid fugitives, overstayers, or those under travel bans. Azam said based on information received the syndicate received between RM500 and RM2,000 depending on the country involved in the "flying passport" ruse. "The prices vary based on the level of difficulty involved," he said. "The recommendations we made previously, including that these personnel be banned from carrying mobile phones while on duty remain relevant," he said, adding that enforcement of these recommendations should be carried immediately. Meanwhile, Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said they would cooperate with the MCBA in its investigation of these activities. "We will cooperate and share information and intelligence with them as well as the MACC. "Last year, our department cooperated with the MACC in taking action against 50 personnel believed to be involved in counter-setting activities," he said. "Since January, the MCBA has taken over the functions and control of the entry points, so monitoring is now under the agency's responsibility. "However, last year the Immigration Department did take action to address this issue, so we are ready to share information if and when needed," he said. Last year MACC recommended that Immigration officers manning counters at the country's entry points should not have access to their mobile phones. This followed a probe which found that Immigration officers, who were caught for counter-setting at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 1) and klia2 (Terminal 2) had received information from agents on the arrival of certain foreign nationals via WhatsApp. Counter-setting refers to the act of allowing foreigners to enter the country without proper inspection by going through designated or pre-determined lanes at Immigration entry points. Investigations also found several issues which led to the occurrence of counter-setting, including the relaxation of internal controls that made it easier for officers to be approached by agents or syndicates while on duty. Duty rotations for officers at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 were also not done systematically. It was reported that the decades-old "flying passport" ruse at the Johor-Singapore land checkpoints continues to thrive — not due to a lack of technology or protocols - but because rogue officers caught red-handed are quietly transferred instead of sacked. An immigration source told the New Straits Times that the ruse, first documented as far back as 1996, has become entrenched within the system, aided by weak disciplinary mechanisms and inter-agency silence. "It's an open secret. Officers caught facilitating ghost entries are just moved to another counter, or another state. No termination, no prosecution, just relocation," the source said. Shuhaily recently defended the transfer of officers under corruption probe, saying it is not a cover-up but a procedural step required under civil service rules.