No money trail because payments to Guan Eng made in cash - Witness

AN investigating officer told the Sessions Court today that the absence of a money trail in Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial involving the Penang undersea tunnel project did not undermine the integrity of the investigation.

 Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) senior investigating officer Zulhilmi Ramli said this was because the RM3.3 million given to the former Chief Minister of Penang was in cash and was not deposited or transferred to his bank account.

He said this was supported by the testimony of the main witnesses, namely former Director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB), Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli; G Gnanaraja (businessman); Azli Adam (former Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Services of Consortium Zenith Beijing Urban Construction Group Sdn Bhd) and Ibrahim Sahari (former director of CZCSB).

The 38th prosecution witness said this during examination-in-chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin at the trial.

According to Zulhilmi, all the witnesses involved confirmed that there was a cash withdrawal and a meeting between Zarul Ahmad and the accused in his office.

Wan Shaharuddin: Why doesn't it affect your investigation?

Zulhilmi: In the investigation, I found that the payment of money to the accused, totalling RM3.3 million in stages, was in cash and not deposited or transferred into a bank account. This statement was from the main witness, Zarul Ahmad and was supported by the testimony of other witnesses who confirmed that there was a cash withdrawal and a meeting between Zarul Ahmad and Lim Guan Eng in his office.

In addition, I also investigated based on the documents I obtained and confirmed that there was a meeting in the car between Zarul Ahmad, Gnanaraja and Lim Guan Eng. It was also supported by the forensic report through photos in the car and the house.

Wan Shaharuddin: Do you want to add anything?

Zulhilmi: For me, my investigation found that all the money given was in cash. So it would be unwise for him to deposit the cash into his own bank account.

Zulhilmi also defended the MACC's decision to call Gnanaraja as a witness, despite suggestions that his statements contained contradictions.

He said Gnanaraja's account was aligned with Zarul's statement recorded in late 2019, in which Zarul admitted delivering four bags containing RM1 million each.

Zulhilmi said Gnanaraja, in a statement recorded around mid-2020, also admitted receiving four bags containing RM1 million each from Zarul, totalling RM4 million.

"This formed part of the basis of the MACC's investigation," he said.

Zulhilmi said his investigation also uncovered documentary and forensic evidence, including proof of meetings allegedly held inside a car involving Zarul, Gnanaraja and Lim.

"This is supported by forensic reports, including photographs taken inside the car and at a house," he added.

Guan Eng, 65, is accused of using his position to receive bribes totalling RM3.3 million by helping a company owned by former Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd Director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli be appointed to implement the Penang Main Roads and Tunnels Construction Project worth approximately RM6,341,383,702 between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Penang Chief Minister's Office.

For the second charge, the Bagan MP is accused of requesting a bribe of 10 per cent of the profits to be obtained from Zarul Ahmad as a reward for helping the businessman's company be appointed for the same project near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, between 12.30 am and 2 am in March 2011.

He also faces two charges of causing two lots of land owned by the Penang Government worth RM208.8 million to be disposed of to a developer company related to the undersea tunnel project in the state, which was allegedly carried out at the Land and Penang State Mining, Komtar on 17 Feb 2015 and 22 March 2017.

The trial before Judge Azura Alwi continues on 14 May. – May 6, 2026