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BUTTERWORTH: Former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has pleaded not guilty to two counts of dishonest misappropriation of property amounting to more than RM200 thousand under Section 403 of the Penal Code in Butterworth Sessions Court here.
Lim was charged on Friday (September 11) with disposing of two properties in the form of land to two companies linked to the controversial underwater tunnel project.
According to the charge sheet, Lim was charged with dishonest misappropriation of property that led to the disposition of state lands located in Bandar Tanjong Pinang in Penang, worth RM 135,086,094 to Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd on February 17, 2015 in the Level 21 in Komtar, as the then Chief Minister.
He was also charged with dishonest misappropriation of property that led to the disposal of another parcel of state land located in Bandar Tanjong Pinang, worth RM 73,668,986 to Zenith Urban Development Sdn Bhd, on March 22, 2017 at the same location.
In accordance with the Penal Code, whoever improperly appropriates, or converts for their own use, or causes any other person to dispose of any property, will be punished with imprisonment for a period of not less than six months or more. of five. years and spanking and will also be fined if convicted.
Lim arrived on the court grounds at 10:40 am accompanied by his wife Betty Chew, his father and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, and his sister Lim Hooi Ying.
Members of the media gathered at the courthouse before 9 a.m. and the crowd had grown to about 100 people, including politicians, party members, and supporters by 10 a.m.
Those present included Bukit Bendera MP Wong Hon Wai, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim, former state members Zairil Khir Johari, Soon Lip Chee, Pulau Tikus Assemblyman Chris Lee, Bagan Dalam Assemblyman M. Satees , the Komtar Teh Lai Heng Assemblyman and several city councilors.
Meanwhile, Noorzainy Mohd Noor, North Seberang Prai OCPD’s assistant commander, advised those gathered to practice physical distancing and wear face masks or they would be fined.
Lim will appear before Judge Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid of the Corruption Special Sessions Court.
Lim is represented by attorneys Gobind Singh Deo, RSN Rayer, V. Vemal Arasan, and Ramkarpal Singh.
Assistant Prosecutors Wan Shaharudin Wan Ladin, Francine Cheryl Rajendram and Selvaranjini Selvaraja are prosecuting for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
In August, Lim was slapped with multiple charges within a week.
He was charged under Section 16 (a) (A) of the MACC Act of 2009 on Friday (August 7) for requesting a 10% cut in profits from the Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd Consortium in March 2011 in exchange for help the company secure the RM6. 3bil Penang Submarine Tunnel Project.
On August 10, he was charged under Section 23 (1) of the MACC Act of 2009 with requesting a RM3.3 thousand bribe from the Zenith Construction Consortium between January 2011 and August 2017 in exchange for helping the company get named construction company of three roads. related to the Penang Submarine Tunnel Project.
He was then indicted on August 11, along with his wife Betty Chew and businesswoman Phang Li Koon, of abusing his public office to obtain gratification under Section 23 of the MACC Act of 2009 when he was chief minister and president of the Penang Development Corporation between August 19, 2013 and March 3, 2016.
Chew was charged with three counts of money laundering, while Phang was charged with inciting Lim to obtain RM372,009 for Chew. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The charges against Lim were for his alleged actions during his tenure as Prime Minister of Penang.
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