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New Straits Times
5 days ago
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] Prosecution witness in Guan Eng trial attacked in home
KUALA LUMPUR: A key prosecution witness in Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial was attacked by 10 men who stormed his home near Petaling Jaya today. The victim sustained multiple injuries to his face and hand after the assailants forced their way into his home, according to a source close to the trial. The attackers reportedly tied up two security guards before entering the house. "The attackers also warned him just to stay at home and not become a hero," said the source. When contacted, Petaling Jaya police chief Assistant Commissioner Shahrulnizam Ja'afar confirmed the incident and said a statement would be released soon. The lead prosecutor in Lim's case, Datuk Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin, meanwhile said the prosecution would raise the matter when the trial resumes on Aug 19. Lim, who is also the DAP adviser, is facing multiple corruption charges at the Sessions Court in relation to the Penang Undersea Tunnel project. He is accused of using his position as the then Penang chief minister to solicit gratification to help Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli secure the project. Lim was alleged to have sought 10 per cent of the company's profit from Zarul. He was also accused of receiving RM3.3 million for himself and causing two plots of state government land to be disposed of to two companies linked to the project.
New Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Witness: I was tasked with delivering RM2mil bribe to Guan Eng
KUALA LUMPUR: A key witness in Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial left the courtroom on edge today as he described how he was appointed to deliver millions in bribes to the former Penang chief minister eight years ago. Businessman G. Gnanaraja said the bribe was linked to the Penang Undersea Tunnel project, where he was appointed by Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli to act as a middleman to deliver the money to Lim. CZCSB was the company awarded the RM6.34 billion Penang undersea tunnel project. The DAP chairman who sat in the accused dock was calm while listening to Gnanaraja's testimony before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi. Gnanaraja said that between Aug 10 and 19, 2017, he and Zarul had multiple discussions about appointing him as the intermediary to deliver bribes to Lim. He said Zarul chose him based on trust and because he was not affiliated with any opposition parties at the time. Gnanaraja also revealed that he had used his company, Bumi Muhibah Holding Sdn Bhd, as the vehicle to channel bribe payments to Lim, as he was the sole person authorised to withdraw money from its bank account. "All the requests to set up the company and its account were made while I was with Lim in a car on the way to Publika on Aug 20, 2017. "Lim had personally viewed the company's Form 49 during a visit to my house on Aug 29, the same year. "He wanted to see the document to gain personal confidence in the company's management and the preparation of its documents. "Form 49 contained details of the company's directors, managers, and secretary," he said. Meanwhile, Gnanaraja said on Aug 18, 2017, he received RM2 million in cash from Zarul near Eastin Hotel in Petaling Jaya for the purpose of delivering it to Lim. "When I reached the hotel lobby, my driver parked my Bentley in front of Zarul's grey Mercedes S300. "Zarul, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, then stepped out of his car, retrieved two dark-coloured bags with hand straps, and placed them directly into the boot of my car. "I knew the bags contained cash because as he placed the first bag, he said '1M,' and repeated the same as he placed the second. By '1M,' I understood that he meant RM1 million. "When I arrived home, I transferred both bags into my office room. I saw that the bags contained bundles of RM100 cash notes in large quantities. "I did not count the bundles in either of the two bags," he said. However, the trial was cut short after Gnanaraja began coughing severely and said he was feeling unwell. On June 24, 2022, Zarul, when testifying as witness, admitted that he gave Lim RM2 million in cash after his company was awarded the three paired roads and undersea tunnel project by the Penang government. On the delivery of RM2 million to Lim, Zarul said he contacted Gnanaraja and told him that he wanted to give some "chocolates" to "big boss" on Aug 17, 2017. He said apart from the RM2 million cash, he also paid Lim a total of RM300,000 in three stages and RM500,000 twice as part of the 10 per cent cut from the profit of the project. Lim is facing four charges of using his position as the then Penang chief minister to solicit gratification to help Zarul's company secure the undersea tunnel project. He was alleged to have sought 10 per cent of the profit to be made by the company from Zarul. He was also accused of receiving RM3.3 million for himself and causing two plots of land belonging to the state government to be disposed of to two companies linked to the undersea tunnel project. The trial is set to resume on Aug 19.
The Star
12-07-2025
- The Star
Too much sun, noise and pollution for residents to bear
GEORGE TOWN: What was once a leafy escape has become a blazing construction zone – no thanks to excessive culling of trees. In Bandar Baru Air Itam, residents are sweating under the scorching sun after the felling of trees to make way for a long- delayed mega bypass project. ALSO READ: Outcry as trees felled in Penang Residents also have to endure noise, air pollution and traffic congestions from the ongoing construction of the Air Itam – Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass. Hawker Fauziah Mohd Marina, 53, acknowledged the need for development but voiced concern over the vanishing green lungs. 'Some of the trees that shaded us are now gone. The authorities say most of them will be preserved, but we clearly feel the visible reduction in greenery,' said Fauziah, who has lived in a nearby high-rise with her husband and five children for 15 years. Trader S. Ganapathi, 71, who walks daily for exercise, said it feels harsh and noisy nowadays. 'I used to enjoy my morning walks under the big trees, but now it's machinery and dust. 'The noise starts early and the afternoons are unbearably hot without the trees,' he said, adding that the state government should speed up construction and replant trees wherever possible. Meanwhile, waitress Qiao Wen, 19, supports the project. 'It's a much-needed upgrade. While frustrations are normal, the long-term benefits will be worth it,' she said, adding that quicker completion would help minimise the disruption. The RM850mil project, which connects Air Itam to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, had its groundbreaking ceremony in 2019 but construction only began in 2021. It was delayed for about a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and land acquisition issues during the early stages of construction. The 6km toll-free road will have a 1.8km ground-level stretch while other stretches will be elevated through viaduct structures (65%), tunnels (20%) and grade sections (15%). It will consist of three interchanges: Lebuhraya Thean Teik, the Jalan Bukit Gambir-Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah junction, and the Tun Dr Lim Chong Ee, which will involve a 'left-in, left-out' access and an elevated U-turn. Upon completion next year, it is expected to reduce the 40-minute drive between Bandar Baru Air Itam and the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway to under 10 minutes. This is expected to benefit Penangites in the long term, especially the population of 300,000 in Air Itam, Bandar Baru Air Itam and Paya Terubong. The project is among four packages under the Penang Undersea tunnel (or a third link) and three major road projects awarded to Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd in September 2013.
The Sun
10-07-2025
- The Sun
MACC IO reports money given to Lim Guan Eng in Penang tunnel case
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer testified in court that he reported to superiors regarding money allegedly given to former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. Senior Superintendent Ng Heng Jun stated that Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, former director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, disclosed payments made to both G. Gnanaraja and Lim during a fraud investigation in 2019. Ng clarified that while Zarul provided general details about the funds given to Lim, he was not directly involved in that specific investigation. 'I informed MACC superiors, and they assured a special probe would follow,' he said during re-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh. The case involves a RM6.3 billion Penang infrastructure project. The witness confirmed he did not prevent Zarul from testifying about the payments to Lim. 'I wanted to avoid mixing evidence between the two separate cases,' Ng explained. Lim faces multiple charges, including allegedly accepting RM3.3 million in bribes linked to the project between 2011 and 2017. Additional charges accuse Lim of soliciting a 10% profit share from Zarul's company and improperly disposing of state land worth RM208.8 million. The trial before Judge Azura Alwi resumes on July 22. – Bernama
The Star
24-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Third fixed link still on hold but work on LRT bridge to start
GEORGE TOWN: While work on one new crossing between Penang's island and mainland is about to start, discussions for yet another crossing has been going on for years. In fact, the idea of a third fixed link between Penang Island and the mainland was first proposed in the early 2010s as part of the Penang Transport Master Plan. It was originally conceived as an undersea tunnel between Gurney Drive and Bagan Ajam, a 7km tunnel to run 11m beneath the seabed, costing over RM6bil. It was to be funded partly through a land swap involving reclaimed parcels along the Gurney Drive coastline. The project was awarded to Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, a special purpose vehicle appointed to undertake the tunnel's feasibility studies and construction. However, the plan never received approval due to cost concerns, political transitions and questions about its financing model. In 2023, the state government signalled a shift, favouring a conventional bridge instead. However, that has run into concerns by Penang Port Sdn Bhd, which indicated that the third bridge would at least need to have 100m of vertical clearance to allow large cruise and cargo vessels through. The main span, without piers or pillars, would need to stretch as far as 2km to prevent interference with shipping lanes. While that plans remains on the drawing board, another more recent idea is bearing fruit – the light rail transit (LRT) bridge under the Federal Government-funded Mutiara Line. The LRT system will link Komtar with the upcoming Silicon Island off the island's southern coast and is expected to serve key locations including SPICE Arena, the airport and the Bayan Lepas industrial zones. The LRT bridge includes a crossing to Butterworth to connect an LRT station in Macallum Street Ghaut with Penang Sentral. It is learnt that the LRT bridge will be 4km long and may include pedestrian and cycling paths as part of a broader multi-modal design. PPSB has specified a vertical clearance of 60m to 62m, with a required mid-channel span of at least 600m to allow ship navigation. On the mainland, the bridge is expected to reach land near the Crowne Plaza Hotel along Jalan Bagan Luar, about 1km north of Penang Sentral. Early-stage construction work on several LRT station sites on the island has begun.
