Lim Guan Eng discharged from IJN, will be in court tomorrow.
SOURCE: The NST – By Sharanjit Singh – December 15, 2021
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has been discharged from the National Heart institute (IJN) and will be present in court for his corruption trial tomorrow.
The former Penang chief minister’s lawyer RSN Rayer informed the matter to Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi after she inquired about the accused during hearing this morning.
“I believe he has been discharged and will be in court tomorrow,” Rayer said.
Lim was a no show at his trial involving the Penang undersea tunnel project yesterday and today as he had been admitted to undergo medical procedures.
However, the hearing went on despite his absence after Azura invoked Section 264 of the Criminal Procedure Code to continue with the trial.
Today, Penang Land and Mines Deputy Director Mohd Farulizam Che Meh took to the stand and testified that the Penang state constitution prohibits the chief minister from any involvement in commercial activities.
“That means the chief minister cannot hold any positions in any company.
“As for the state executive council members, they cannot have anything to do with businesses or professions involving their responsibilities as state officials,” he said.
Touching on Lim’s appointment as Chief Minister, the 43-year old said the DAP politician had been sworn in on March 11, 2008 after being elected as Air Puteh assemblyman three days earlier.
Farulizam, who was the chief assistant secretary at the Penang state assembly from 2015 to 2022, said Lim remained as chief minister until 14 May, 2018, earning a monthly salary of RM14,175 and allowances of RM30,200.
Lim is charged with soliciting a bribe from the company awarded a contract to undertake the controversial RM6.34 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.
The 60-year-old politician is alleged to have asked for 10 per cent of the potential profits from Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli and in return, would help Zarul’s company, Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd appointed to carry out the project.
Lim – who is former Finance Minister, is also accused of abusing his power to obtain a RM3.3 million bribe as an inducement to appoint Zarul’s company to implement the project.
He also faces two additional charges of misappropriation of property by disposing two plots of land belonging to the Penang government in Bandar Tanjong Pinang worth RM208 million to Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd and Zenith Urban Development Sdn Bhd.
Both companies are linked to the tunnel project. The trial continues.
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