Latest news with #LimGuanEng
Free Malaysia Today
27-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Gerakan's No 2 granted ad-interim stay of execution in LGE defamation suit
Gerakan deputy president Oh Tong Keong filed an appeal on May 21 to challenge the judgment delivered by the High Court in George Town, Penang, on May 7. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Gerakan's Oh Tong Keong has been granted an ad-interim stay of execution of a High Court decision ordering him to pay damages to Lim Guan Eng for falsely accusing the former finance minister of helping a concert organiser obtain tax exemptions. On Sunday, FMT reported that Oh, who is the party's deputy president, had filed an application for a stay of execution on May 22 pending the outcome of his appeal against the High Court's verdict which awarded Lim RM550,000 in damages. Penang Gerakan today said that it had successfully raised RM200,000 to help Oh pay the damages. 'In addition, several generous individuals have stepped forward to temporarily advance another RM300,000, allowing us to fully gather a total of RM500,000,' it said in a Facebook post. The party's state chapter said that it would continue to raise funds to repay the advanced funds. Oh's Lawyer, Chai Ko Thing, last week said the appeal was filed on May 21. On May 7, the High Court awarded Lim RM550,000 in damages after ruling that Oh had falsely accused him of helping a concert organiser obtain tax exemptions while the former was the finance minister. Justice Kenneth St James ruled that Oh had defamed Lim at a press conference on Sept 25, 2019, and through a press release sent out via Penang Gerakan's official email address. The remarks were later published by China Press, which was also found liable. Oh had questioned why Lim had granted tax exemptions to WGW Entertainment Sdn Bhd and its owner, Hendrik Huang, for a Mandopop concert at Spice Arena. The judge found that Oh had no basis for his claims and gave no evidence that Lim knew Huang or had granted any tax privileges. He said although Oh's statements were framed as questions, they were found to be defamatory in nature and did not qualify as fair comment. Oh was also ordered to publish an unconditional apology to Lim in China Press, online and in print. He was also barred from repeating the claims. China Press was ordered to pay RM150,000 in damages, RM80,000 in costs, and interest at 5% per annum.
Malaysiakini
27-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysiakini
Gerakan launches fundraiser to pay damages to Guan Eng
Gerakan has launched a fundraiser to help its deputy president Oh Tong Keong pay RM500,000 in damages to DAP adviser Lim Guan Eng. This comes after the Penang High Court earlier this month found Oh and Chinese daily, China Press, liable for defaming the former finance minister...
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Key witness in Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial says he only spoke the truth
KUALA LUMPUR: A key witness in former chief minister Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial testified at the Sessions Court today that he spoke only the truth regarding the alleged bribery in the major roads and undersea tunnel project in Penang. Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, 66, former director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB), stated that the corruption did occur, supported by the substantial evidence and documents presented by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) during investigations. 'I was compelled to tell the truth. If I were to follow my heart, I would wish for YB Lim Guan Eng to win in this case, as I owe him a debt of gratitude. 'However, upon reviewing the evidence and documents, I could not deny that the offence indeed took place,' said the 23rd prosecution witness. He made this statement during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin in the RM6.3 billion corruption case involving Lim Guan Eng. Wan Shaharuddin: You informed the court that you were instructed to issue a press statement regarding the project, and that the contents of that statement were untrue, yet you proceeded to issue it. Is that correct? Zarul Ahmad: I did so to protect my project, to avoid escalating tensions with the then Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng, and to safeguard his interests. Zarul Ahmad acknowledged that in the statement, he claimed the project was obtained transparently and without any criminal wrongdoing, which he admitted was false. Wan Shaharuddin: So you deliberately misled the people of Penang to protect Lim Guan Eng's image despite knowing your statement was untruthful? Zarul Ahmad: I am indebted to him and followed his instructions, as he was serving as the Finance Minister at the time. According to the amended first charge, Lim, 64, is accused, 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 percent bribe out of the project's future profits from Zarul Ahmad for assisting his company in securing the same project. The solicitation allegedly took place near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, between 12.30 am and 2.00 am 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. The trial before Judge Azura Alwi is scheduled to resume on June 24.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Key witness in Lim Guan Eng trial says he told the truth
KUALA LUMPUR: A key witness in former chief minister Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial testified at the Sessions Court today that he spoke only the truth regarding the alleged bribery in the major roads and undersea tunnel project in Penang. Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, 66, former director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB), stated that the corruption did occur, supported by the substantial evidence and documents presented by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) during investigations. 'I was compelled to tell the truth. If I were to follow my heart, I would wish for YB Lim Guan Eng to win in this case, as I owe him a debt of gratitude. 'However, upon reviewing the evidence and documents, I could not deny that the offence indeed took place,' said the 23rd prosecution witness. He made this statement during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin in the RM6.3 billion corruption case involving Lim Guan Eng. Wan Shaharuddin: You informed the court that you were instructed to issue a press statement regarding the project, and that the contents of that statement were untrue, yet you proceeded to issue it. Is that correct? Zarul Ahmad: I did so to protect my project, to avoid escalating tensions with the then Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng, and to safeguard his interests. Zarul Ahmad acknowledged that in the statement, he claimed the project was obtained transparently and without any criminal wrongdoing, which he admitted was false. Wan Shaharuddin: So you deliberately misled the people of Penang to protect Lim Guan Eng's image despite knowing your statement was untruthful? Zarul Ahmad: I am indebted to him and followed his instructions, as he was serving as the Finance Minister at the time. According to the amended first charge, Lim, 64, is accused, 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 percent bribe out of the project's future profits from Zarul Ahmad for assisting his company in securing the same project. The solicitation allegedly took place near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, between 12.30 am and 2.00 am 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. The trial before Judge Azura Alwi is scheduled to resume on June 24.
Free Malaysia Today
27-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Witness hopes Guan Eng will be acquitted in undersea tunnel graft case
Businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli previously testified that he had given a truthful account to MACC officers during their investigation. (Facebook pic) KUALA LUMPUR : A key witness in Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial told the sessions court today that he hoped the former Penang chief minister would be acquitted of the graft charges related to the undersea tunnel project. Businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli, who said he felt 'indebted' to Lim for helping him secure the project, admitted that he had tried to shield the politician from investigation. 'I didn't want any of the evidence obtained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) during its probe to be presented in court,' Zarul told the court. Earlier this month, Zarul testified that he had given a truthful account to MACC officers during their investigation. He said the agency confronted him with documents related to the project, and that he 'had no choice but to tell them what happened'. He also admitted in court that he had instructed his then finance manager, Azli Adam, to prepare fake invoices to hide the payments made to Lim. 'I know what I did with the dummy invoices was wrong, but I wanted to protect YB Lim so there wouldn't be a money trail leading back to him,' Zarul said. The court also heard from MACC investigating officer Eng Heng Jun, who testified that Zarul had lodged a report against fellow businessman G Gnanaraja for allegedly cheating him of RM19 million. Eng said Gnanaraja was charged with three counts of cheating in the Shah Alam sessions court but pleaded guilty to an alternative charge in 2020 under Section 218(1) of the Companies Act. He was fined RM230,000. Lim is accused of using his position as Penang chief minister to solicit a 10% share of profits from the undersea tunnel project and receiving RM3.3 million in bribes from Zarul. He also faces two charges of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land. The hearing continues before judge Azura Alwi on June 24.
