THE prosecution has closed its case against former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng after calling 38 witnesses in a five-year trial over alleged corruption linked to a RM6.34 billion roads and undersea tunnel project.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin informed Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi today that the prosecution was closing its case after the final witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission senior investigating officer Zulhilmi Ramli, completed his testimony.
Lim, 65, faces four charges involving an alleged RM3.3 million bribe, a request for 10 per cent of the profits from the project and the disposal of two state-owned land plots valued at RM208.8 million to a developer linked to the project.
The court fixed Jan 13, 2027, for the prosecution and defence to file written submissions, with oral submissions scheduled for Jan 26 and 27.
Wan Shaharuddin also offered Penang mayor Rajendran P Anthony as a witness for the defence should Lim be called to enter his defence.
The trial began on July 13, 2021, and included testimony from former Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd director Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, former Penang executive councillor Lim Hock Seng, former tourism and culture minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz and businessman G. Gnanaraja.
Under the first amended charge, Lim is accused of using his position as chief minister to obtain RM3.3 million for himself by allegedly helping a company owned by Zarul Ahmad secure the contract for the roads and undersea tunnel project, valued at RM6.34 billion, between January 2011 and August 2017.
A second charge alleges that Lim requested 10 per cent of the profits Zarul Ahmad would earn in return for helping the businessman’s company secure the same project.
The remaining two charges concern the alleged disposal of the state-owned land plots in February 2015 and March 2017.
Lim has not been convicted of the charges. The court will consider the parties’ submissions before determining the next stage of the proceedings. - October 27, 2026