Latest news with #RM19mil
The Star
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Fond memories lead S'wak man to RM19mil jackpot win
IPOH: If you could put a figure on sentimental value, RM19mil might not be a bad place to start. That's how much an e-hailing driver from Sarawak won in the Toto 4D Jackpot 1 recently. The 55-year-old revealed that he won by betting on the registration numbers of his vehicles. He said his winning combination consisted of the registration numbers of his motorcycle and the first car he owned. He said he frequently bet on his old car number because it had sentimental value. "When I came home on Saturday (July 19) night after ending my drive, I sat in the car and checked my tickets," STM Lottery Sdn Bhd quoted him as saying in a statement released on Friday (July 25). "When I saw the first 4D number matched the second prize, my heart started racing. "Then I saw that my other 4D number matched the first prize, and I screamed in my car when I realised I had won the jackpot." His System 3 ticket won him RM19mil and a further RM336 as a System Play bonus. He said he would continue working as an e-hailing driver, and would share the winnings with his wife, children and siblings. He also planned to start investing to ensure consistent wealth generation, he added.
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
‘Bank account ordered by Lim'
It was used to channel bribes related to tunnel project, says key witness KUALA LUMPUR: A key prosecution witness told the court that he was directed by former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng to open a bank account specifically to facilitate payments related to the Penang undersea tunnel project. Businessman G. Gnanaraja said he set up Bumi Muhibah Capital Holding Sdn Bhd to channel alleged bribes to Lim in August 2017. The company maintained a CIMB bank account, over which Gnanaraja had exclusive control. 'Lim Guan Eng instructed me to set up and open this bank account. 'All requests regarding the company's setup and account were made while I was with Lim in a car en route to Publika on Aug 20, 2017,' he told the Sessions Court yesterday. Gnanaraja's testimony further detailed how he met businessman Datuk Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli, a former director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB), in May 2017 to discuss setting up the company to facilitate payments to Lim. 'Datuk Zarul and I communicated about having me as the intermediary for bribe payments from him to Lim. 'He chose me as I was not affiliated with any opposition parties at the time,' he said. Gnanaraja, who is the 37th witness, and was charged in April 2019 at the Shah Alam Court with cheating Zarul Ahmad of RM19mil, recounted the events of Aug 18, 2017 at the Eastin Hotel in Petaling Jaya. He said he received two bags purportedly containing RM2mil from Zarul Ahmad. 'Datuk Zarul wanted to give me RM2mil in cash meant for Lim Guan Eng.' When he arrived at the hotel, he said Zarul Ahmad handed him two dark bags, stating '1M' as he placed them in Gnanaraja's car. Gnanaraja clarified that '1M' referred to RM1mil per bag. Upon returning to his residence, Gnanaraja said he meticulously checked the contents of the bags. 'I opened both bags in my study room to verify the cash inside, as informed by Datuk Zarul. 'My study room is always locked, and only I have the key. 'Inside the bags, I found numerous bundles of RM100 notes, confirming what I had been told,' he said. He noted that the bags remained untouched in his study room until Aug 20, 2017, when Zarul Ahmad called, requesting the delivery of one bag containing RM1mil to Lim in Kuala Lumpur. Gnanaraja detailed a subsequent event on Aug 20, 2017, where he allegedly transferred one of the bags containing RM1mil to Lim. 'I placed the bag in the back seat of Datuk Zarul's car and travelled with him to meet Lim Guan Eng near Hotel Wenworth. 'This was during a meeting in Kuala Lumpur, where Lim Guan Eng joined us for a discussion on confidential financial arrangements. 'He was in his official chief minister attire, and I wore a batik shirt. 'He greeted us warmly and mentioned attending an official event at Publika but wanted to discuss confidential financial matters first,' he said. Gnanaraja added that it was his first time hearing of an individual named Datuk Ewein (the late Ewein Bhd founder and executive chairman Datuk Ewe Swee Kheng), whom Lim intended to introduce him to later. Ewe, a property developer, was due to be called as the 15th prosecution witness in this trial, but was found dead after a fall from a condominium in George Town, Penang, on Oct 5, 2021. He was involved in the trial as his company gave Zarul Ahmad money for a land-swap deal for a plot of state land, known as Lot 702, between 2013 and 2016 for the undersea tunnel project. Lim, 64, is facing an amended charge of using his position as then Penang chief minister to solicit RM3.3mil in bribes as an inducement to assist Zarul Ahmad in securing the undersea tunnel project worth RM6.34bil. Lim allegedly committed the offence at the Penang Chief Minister's Office, Level 28, Komtar, George Town, between January 2011 and August 2017. In the second amended charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a 10% profit from the company as gratification to secure the project. The offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City here, in March 2011. Lim, who is Bagan MP, faces two further charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8mil, belonging to the Penang government, to be disposed of to two companies linked to the project. The trial before Judge Azura Alwi continues on Aug 19.
The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Penang undersea tunnel case: Guan Eng told me to open bank account to channel funds, says witness
KUALA LUMPUR: A key prosecution witness has told the court that he was directed by former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng to open a bank account specifically to facilitate payments related to the Penang undersea tunnel project. Businessman G. Gnanaraja said he set up the company Bumi Muhibah Capital Holding Sdn Bhd in August 2017, which maintained a CIMB account he had exclusive control of. "Lim instructed me to set up and open this bank account. All requests regarding the company and bank account were made while I was with Lim in a car on Aug 20, 2017," he told the Sessions Court on Wednesday (July 23). Gnanaraja's testimony further detailed how he met businessman Datuk Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli, a former director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB), in May 2017 to discuss setting up the company. "Zarul and I communicated about having me as the intermediary for bribe payments from him to Lim. "He chose me as I was not affiliated with any opposition party at the time," he said. Gnanaraja, who is the 37th witness in the trial and was previously charged in April 2019 with cheating Zarul Ahmad of RM19mil, recounted the events of Aug 18, 2017, at a hotel in Petaling Jaya. He said he received two bags purportedly containing RM2mil from Zarul Ahmad. "Zarul wanted to give me RM2mil in cash meant for Lim Guan Eng." Upon arriving at the hotel, he said Zarul Ahmad handed him two dark bags, saying "1M" as he placed each bag in Gnanaraja's car. Gnanaraja clarified that "1M" referred to RM1mil per bag. Upon returning to his residence, Gnanaraja said he meticulously checked the contents of the bags. "Inside the bags, I found numerous bundles of RM100 notes, confirming what I had been told," he said. He noted that the bags remained untouched in his study until Aug 20, 2017, which he said was always locked and he had the only key. He said on that day, Zarul Ahmad called and requested one bag containing RM1mil to be delivered to Lim in Kuala Lumpur. The court had to adjourn temporarily when Gnanaraja experienced a coughing fit. When proceedings resumed, he could only proceed to page 13 of his 24-page statement due to continued coughing. In his statement, Gnanaraja detailed a sequence of events on Aug 20, 2017, where he allegedly gave one of the bags containing RM1mil to Lim. "I placed the bag in the back seat of Zarul Ahmad's car and travelled with him to meet Lim near a hotel (in Kuala Lumpur)," he said. "He greeted us warmly and mentioned attending an official event but wanted to discuss confidential financial matters first," he said. Gnanaraja said Lim wanted to introduce him to an individual named Datuk Ewein (the late Ewein Bhd founder and executive chairman Datuk Ewe Swee Kheng), saying this was the first time he had heard of him. Ewe, a property developer, was due to be called as the 15th prosecution witness but was found dead after a fall from a condominium in Pulau Tikus, Penang on Oct 5, 2021. He was involved in the trial as his company gave Zarul Ahmad money for a land-swap deal for a plot of state land, known as Lot 702, between 2013 and 2016 for the undersea tunnel project. Lim, 64, is facing an amended charge of using his position as then Penang chief minister to solicit RM3.3mil in bribes as an inducement to assist Zarul Ahmad in securing the undersea tunnel project worth RM6.34bil. Lim allegedly committed the offence at the Penang Chief Minister's Office, Level 28, Komtar, George Town, between January 2011 and August 2017. In the second amended charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a 10% profit from the company as gratification to secure the project. The offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City here, in March 2011. Lim, who is Bagan MP, faces two further charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8mil, belonging to the Penang government, to be disposed of to two companies linked to the project. The trial before Judge Azura Alwi continues on Aug 19.
The Star
11-07-2025
- The Star
Witness: MACC bosses knew of payments to Lim
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer informed his superiors about money paid to Lim Guan Eng in connection with the Penang undersea tunnel project case, the Sessions Court heard. Senior Supt Ng Heng Jun testified that during a fraud investigation on Dec 9, 2019, Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, then Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd director, revealed he had given money to Lim and G. Gnanaraja. 'Zarul only told me in general terms about the money given to Lim. I was not involved in the investigation on the money given to Lim because the case was handled by another investigating officer. 'I then reported the matter to MACC superiors, and was informed that a special investigation would be conducted on the case,' said Ng, who is the investigating officer in the RM19mil fraud case involving Gnanaraja, Bernama reported. The 36th prosecution witness said this during re-examination by DPP Farah Yasmin Salleh in the corruption case involving the construction of a major road and undersea tunnel project in Penang worth RM6.3bil involving Lim, the former Penang chief minister. Ng said he never stopped Zarul Ahmad, the 23rd prosecution witness, from giving evidence to MACC regarding the money given to Lim. 'I asked him (Zarul Ahmad) to give evidence on the handing over of money to Lim for the case against Lim because I don't want his evidence to be mixed up with the case I am investigating as 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 abusing his position to receive a RM3.3mil bribe 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% 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 2am in March 2011. Additionally, Lim faces two charges of disposing of a couple of state-owned lots of land in Penang, valued at RM208.8mil to a developer linked with the undersea tunnel project. The offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Lands and Mines Office, Komtar, on Feb 17, 2015 and March 22, 2017. The hearing before Judge Azura Alwi continues on July 22.
The Star
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
I told superiors about money allegedly given to Guan Eng, MACC officer tells court
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer (IO) told the Sessions Court here Thursday (July 10) that he had informed his superiors about Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli's statement over money paid to Lim Guan Eng in connection with the Penang undersea tunnel project case. 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 that 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 my 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 RM19mil 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 RM6.3bil, 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 RM3.3mil 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% 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 2am in March 2011. Additionally, Lim faces two charges of disposing of a couple of state-owned lots of land in Penang, valued at RM208.8mil, 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 hearing before Judge Azura Alwi continues on July 22. - Bernama
