ZCSB director gave Lim RM3.3 million to secure undersea tunnel project

KUALA LUMPUR: The director of Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (ZCSB) told the Sessions Court today that he gave RM3.3 million to Lim Guan Eng to help his company secure the three paired roads and undersea tunnel project in Penang.

Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, 62, said all the money given to Lim, who was Penang Chief Minister at the time, was subject to two conditions, that he be awarded the project and that it would be paid as soon as payment was approved.

"This was all a part of the demand of 10 per cent of the project's profits. If the project was not awarded to me, of course, I would not pay," he said when reading his testimony during the examination by deputy public prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh at Lim's corruption trial today.

On the delivery of RM2 million out of RM3.3 million to Lim, Zarul Ahmad said he gave the money to Lim through a businessman named Gnanaraja, who acted as an intermediary as there were concerns that he (Zarul Ahmad) was being monitored by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC).

"On Aug 17, 2017, I informed Azli Adam to withdraw RM2 million that would be given to YB Lim. After my project dealings were completed in Penang, I contacted and told Gnanaraja that I wanted to meet him the next day.

"I told him that I wanted to give some "chocolates" to him to give to the "big boss" through a Whatsapp message. Chocolate refers to money," he said.

The 23rd prosecution witness said that at around 5 pm, he met Gnanaraja at a hotel in Petaling Jaya to pass two sports bags filled with RM1 million each.

"Gnanaraja arrived and parked in front of my car in the hotel lobby. He was in a Bentley. I then got down and placed the two bags on the bonnet of his car," he said.

Gnanaraja handed one of those bags to Lim while they were on their way to a shopping mall here on Aug 20, 2017.

"I could see YB Lim was happy when I introduced Gnanaraja to him and on the way to Publika, YB Lim said he would go to Gnanaraja's house to discuss matters with him.

"When we reached Publika, YB Lim thanked me and patted my shoulder. I was sure that was because he had taken the bag containing RM1 million and he was showing me his appreciation," he said.

The witness said that he had informed Gnanaraja to pass the remaining RM1 million that was in his (Zarul Ahmad) care to Lim, who was in Kuala Lumpur to attend a party meeting on Aug 28, 2017.

Zarul Ahmad said Lim asked for RM2 million as he expected that elections would be held soon at that time and if he had failed to provide the money, he feared Lim would disturb his project in the future.

He added that he had also given Lim RM1 million in January, April and May 2016 including in conjunction with Chinese New Year, and that the money constituted the 10 per cent cut from the project's profits.

The witness also said that around December 2014, he had given Lim RM100,000 during his birthday and yesterday he told the court that he gave RM200,000 to Lim in 2013 and 2014.

Zarul Ahmad added that he was cooperating with the MACC not because of politics but after they shared with him several facts they had showing that he was merely being used as a tool by Lim.

"If I was not called by the MACC to provide a statement, then this would not have come to light and I would not have exposed anything about YB Lim and my misconduct. The MACC had continued their investigation, which was a continuation of what they investigated in early 2018.

"The MACC investigation this time exposed findings that led to my full disclosure. A large withdrawal was found and they asked me about it. To avoid action being taken against Azli Adam and I, I decided to speak in more detail about other payments made to YB Lim," he said.

Lim, 61, is facing amended charges of using his position as Penang Chief Minister to solicit RM3.3 million in bribes and also a 10 per cent cut from Zarul Ahmad's company's profits from the undersea tunnel project. He also is accused of causing two plots of land belonging to the state government to be disposed to two companies linked to the tunnel project.

The trail in front of Judge Azura Alwi continues next Monday.

-- BERNAMA