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KUALA LUMPUR: The indictment in former Penang Prime Minister Lim Guan Eng’s corruption case in connection with the underwater tunnel project has confirmed that he will face two new charges in Butterworth on Friday.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said this to Session Court Judge Azura Alwi when Lim’s case was mentioned here today.
“We have served the defendant with a subpoena to inform him of the two charges under Section 403 of the Penal Code,” he said.
Wan Shaharuddin informed the court that the prosecution will modify Lim’s information on the charge sheet, substituting his race from “Malay” to “Chinese” and his age from 59 to 60.
The judge then told the DPP to re-file the charges after the amendments had been made.
Wan Shaharuddin also said that they will not seek additional bail to be imposed against Lim on Friday, as his previous bail of RM1 million will be extended on the new charges.
Attorney Gobind Singh Deo confirmed that the defense received the summons today.
Last month, Lim pleaded not guilty to two counts of requesting a 10% cut in profits that would have been made from the road and tunnel project from the senior director of the Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd Consortium (Zenith), Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, in March 2011.
Lim was also accused of abusing his power to obtain RM3.3 million in bribes to appoint Zarul’s company to the project. The crime is alleged to have been committed in Lim’s then Komtar office between January 2011 and August 2017.
Wan Shaharuddin also told the court that two police reports were filed against two people for alleged sub judice comments on Lim’s corruption case.
“However, we would like to inform the court that YB Lim and the defense attorneys did not make the alleged comments,” he said.
In response, Gobind said the defense first discovered the impending Section 403 charges through news reports last week.
“On behalf of the defense, I hope MACC does not release informal information to the public. At least let us know in advance, ”he said.
He also said that the defense had not given in to the prosecution’s request to move the case here.
The court set October 12 as the next mention date.
