Guan Eng to be slapped with two more charges

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 9): Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng (pictured) will face two new charges in Butterworth on Friday, Sept 11.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin told the Sessions Court here that a summons had been served on Lim, who is also a former finance minister, and he had to appear in court on Friday to face the two charges.

“We have served the accused person a summons to inform him of the charges under Section 403 of the Penal Code,” the DPP told Justice Azura Alwi today.

Lim, 59, had previously been charged three times last month.

Lawyer acting on behalf of Lim, Gobind Singh Deo, confirmed with the judge that they had received his client’s summons.

The two charges under Section 403 of the Penal Code are for dishonest misappropriation of property.

All of Lim’s previous charges have been transferred to the Sessions Court, and Wan Shaharuddin had informed the court that they will also transfer the new case in Penang this Friday to Kuala Lumpur, at which time a new mention date for the cases will be set.

Azura then fixed Oct 12 as the new mention date for the two cases already before her court. The two cases involved charges brought against Lim on Aug 7 and Aug 10.

Gobind, who is also Puchong Member of Parliament, had also told the court that he had found out about the new charges last week when news portals had broken them, and he had asked that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to at least inform them before this information is leaked to the public.

“On behalf of the defence, I hope MACC does not issue informal information to the public. At least inform us in advance,” he said.

He also said the defence has not conceded to moving the case to the Sessions Court here and that will be decided on Friday, once the charges in Butterworth are read out to Lim.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, claimed trial at the Sessions Court here last month for one charge of soliciting a 10% cut of profit from the undersea tunnel project from Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd senior director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli.

He allegedly asked for the bribe at The Gardens Hotel around Mid Valley City here in 2011.

The Bagan Member of Parliament was also charged at the Butterworth Sessions Court in Penang with abusing his position as a public officer to assist Zarul's company to be appointed to undertake the construction of main roads and the undersea tunnel, reportedly worth RM6.341 billion, to obtain a RM3.3 million bribe.

Lim, who was then the chief minister of Penang, allegedly committed the crime between January 2011 and August 2017 in Komtar, Penang.

He also faces another unrelated charge of abuse of power in relation to a bribe purportedly received by his wife Betty Chew.

He is charged with abusing his post as a public officer during his tenure as the chief minister and chairman of Penang Development Corp's tender committee to ensure that Magnificent Emblem Sdn Bhd was given an invitation for the proposed workers' village project in Batu Kawan worth RM11.61 million, which Chew allegedly had interests in.

Chew allegedly received RM372,009 from Excel Property Management & Consultancy Sdn Bhd.

EdgeProp Malaysia Virtual Property Expo 2020 (VPEX 2020) is happening now! Find out more exclusive projects and exciting deals here

Stay safe. Keep updated on the latest news at www.EdgeProp.my 

Click here for more property stories.