Latest news with #RM2mil
The Star
24-07-2025
- 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
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Bears feast on durians after wandering into a school
Compiled by TAN SIN CHOW, DIVYA THERESA RAVI and R. ARAVINTHAN Apparently, it is not just humans who love durians – two bears risked it all for a taste of the king of fruits at a school in Terengganu, Sinar Harian reported. The pair entered SK Seberang Tayor in Kemaman around 8.30am on Monday. School gardener Azmi Yaakob, 52, said some pupils who were undergoing sports training, were told to return to the classrooms. He said the bears wandered in the compound for quite some time and around 11am, they went to the school farm where durian trees were planted. 'They ate some durians before moving on to the nearby bush,' he added. Terengganu Wildlife and National Parks Department director Loo Kean Seong said traps had been placed in the area since May. He said efforts were being taken to locate the animals. > After 18 years, Malaysian blockbuster Impak Maksima made a roaring cinematic comeback with a new instalment, raking in RM1mil in just four days, Harian Metro reported. The sequel, Impak Maksima 2, is directed by Dr Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri and stars Arfie Shah, Datuk Seri Eizlan Yusof and Dynas Mokhtar. 'In the current situation, reaching RM1mil is a very positive sign. 'I'm doing something that others don't do. This always involved taking risks with careful planning, particularly in budget management,' said Ahmad Idham. Impak Maksima, which was released in 2007, made about RM2mil at the box office. The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
The Star
23-07-2025
- 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
22-07-2025
- General
- The Star
Decades of faith and hard work transform Sibu's Hindu temple.
A ONCE modest house of worship has now blossomed into a grand cultural and spiritual landmark for the Hindu community in Sibu. The newly completed Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, built at a cost of RM2mil, stands not just as a place of prayer but as a powerful symbol of unity, heritage and hope for generations to come. The temple's origins date back to 1920, when it began as a humble hut. In 1971, it moved into a double-storey building donated by the late Soma Sundram. That house and its surrounding land were generously gifted for religious use – a gesture that laid the foundation for the temple's enduring legacy. Manogaran (fifth from left) leading a mini-procession around the temple. Today, after more than a decade of tireless work, community support and government funding, the temple has undergone a complete transformation. Temple president Manogaran Krishnasamy, who took over its management in 2012, described the journey as both challenging and deeply rewarding. 'This temple is built on new ground, literally and spiritually. It is the first Hindu temple in Sibu constructed under the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the Indian community,' said Manogaran, a retired police sergeant. 'It follows traditional Hindu customs, from the statues to the prayers – it mirrors what you would see in Peninsular Malaysia or even India.' The transformation didn't happen overnight. A large crowd of devotees at the consecration of the temple. 'It took years of fundraising, administrative work and sheer determination. Between 2018 and 2024, major construction and decorative work was completed with support from the Sarawak government and the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), which contributed nearly RM400,000. Further help came from local philanthropists and timber businessmen who donated wooden materials valued at over RM120,000. 'Without the support of our elected representatives and the local Chinese and Iban communities, this temple would not exist in its current form,' Manogaran said. 'I am especially grateful to Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg and Nangka assemblyman Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee for their belief in our vision.' The temple consecration ceremony is steeped in tradition. Initially, 10 skilled workers from India were involved in the project but as it neared completion, only four remained. 'Each worker earns a salary ranging from RM3,000 to RM4,000. 'Yes, they are skilled workers, which is why they all have certificates,' Manogaran explained. He said 16 stone sculptures were brought in from India at a cost of nearly RM22,000 for transport, while 63 statues were built on site by the specialist workers. The temple was consecrated on July 7 in a ceremony that featured 48 days of prayers and the participation of over 30 priests from India and Peninsular Malaysia. Looking ahead, the temple committee has set its sights on an even more ambitious goal: to hold Sibu's first-ever Thaipusam celebration next year. 'In Penang, Thaipusam draws people from all over the world. It's more than a religious event – it becomes a multicultural gathering,' said Manogaran. Musical instruments formed an integral part of the consecration ceremony. 'We hope to replicate that spirit here in Sibu. Our vision is to make it a memorable and inclusive festival that also draws tourists.' Plans are already under way for a local religious procession, with hopes that it could evolve into an annual cultural highlight for Sibu. While traditional chariots pulled by bulls – as seen in Peninsular Malaysia – are impractical in Sibu, the committee is exploring creative alternatives such as airport trolleys to symbolically carry the deity during the parade. In addition to Thaipusam, the temple plans to celebrate other major Hindu festivals like Navaratri, ensuring year-round spiritual activity. The temple is open daily from 7am to 10am and 6pm to 10pm, with a full-time priest from Peninsular Malaysia stationed there to conduct daily rituals. A boy being lifted up by his parents to witness the divine blessings of Goddess Mariamman at the temple. In time, there are plans to open the temple to members of the public with fixed visiting hours. Beyond its religious role, the temple also aspires to serve the wider community. Manogaran hopes to raise funds for a temple van, which could be used to transport devotees or assist in charitable work such as ferrying the sick to hospitals. Still, challenges remain as further work is needed to improve the temple's uneven grounds – but Manogaran remains optimistic. 'Many people have served this community for decades but couldn't achieve this. I've been here just seven or eight years and one day decided: it's time we had a proper temple. With faith and unity, everything is possible.' The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple today is not only a place of worship, it is a living monument to interfaith cooperation, community resilience and cultural preservation. As it prepares to host its first Thaipusam festival next year, Sibu's Hindu community, numbering between 300 and 400 people, has every reason to be proud.
The Star
22-07-2025
- The Star
Senior loses RM158,000 to fake cop
IPOH: A senior citizen lost RM158,000 after being duped by a phone scam syndicate. OCPD Asst Comm Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said the 73-year-old victim claimed to have received a call from an insurance company, informing him that he had arrears. ACP Abang Zainal Abidin said the call was then transferred to a 'police officer' from the Petaling Jaya police headquarters. 'The victim was told he was involved in a money laundering case involving more than RM2mil and that an arrest warrant had been issued. 'The 'officer' threatened and instructed him to make various transactions to several bank accounts, supposedly to assist in the probe,' he said in a statement. The victim then made 12 transactions into 12 different bank accounts that were given to him. 'The victim finally realised that he had been cheated and lodged a police report on Sunday,' he said, adding that the case would be investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
