THE Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court was told that Lim Guan Eng received a bag containing RM1 million in cash, though he was wearing the Penang Chief Minister's uniform at the time.
The 37th prosecution witness, businessman Datuk Seri G. Gnanaraja, denied the allegations made by defence lawyer Ramkarpal Singh during the trial of the corruption case involving Guan Eng in the construction of major roads and an undersea tunnel.
Ramkarpal: I am saying that the bag was never handed over to Guan Eng as alleged (Gnanaraja).
This is because it does not make sense for him, as the Chief Minister of Penang at that time, to go to Publika at a busy time, which is a Sunday, wearing the Chief Minister's uniform while holding a bag that supposedly contained RM1 million. This is something that never happened, right?
Gnanaraja: It doesn't make sense, but it happened.
On August 27 last year, Gnanaraja told the court that he handed over a black bag containing RM1 million to Guan Eng when he dropped him off at Publika, Hartamas, on August 20, 2017, reported Kosmo!
Guan Eng is then said to have taken the bag and patted Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, who was then the Director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB), who was in the driver's seat, on the shoulder.
Ramkarpal: That was the first time you met Guan Eng, right?
Gnanaraja: That's right, I agree.
Ramkarpal: Do you agree that during the meeting, Guan Eng (according to your version) got out of the car and no officer met him, right?
Gnanaraja: That's right.
Ramkarpal: Do you know where he went?
Gnanaraja: I don't know.
Ramkkarpal: Can you tell me specifically where you met him?
Gnanaraja: I don't remember.
Ramkkarpal: At the shopping mall or outside?
Gnanaraja: Outside (the shopping mall), on the roadside.
Ramkkarpal: So, at that time, Zarul (the individual appointed to implement the project) can confirm that no one there met Guan Eng?
Gnanaraja: That's right.
Ramkarpal: Do you agree that after that, you had no relationship with Guan Eng?
Gnanaraja: No relationship at all.
The trial before Judge Azura Alwi continues on March 3.
According to the first amended charge, Guan Eng is charged with using his position as the then Chief Minister of Penang to accept bribes totalling RM3.3 million.
This was by helping a company owned by Zarul Ahmad to be appointed to implement the Main Road and Tunnel Construction Project in Penang worth RM6.34 million between January 2011 and August 2017, at the Penang Chief Minister's Office.
For the second amended charge, Guan Eng is charged with requesting a bribe of 10 per cent of the profits to be obtained from Zarul Ahmad as a fee, to help the businessman's company be appointed for the same project.
In addition, the Bagan MP 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. – February 27, 2026
