I acted as middleman between Guan Eng and businessman, witness tells court

2026-03-03 - 05:23

G Gnanaraja told Lim Guan Eng’s corruption trial that fellow businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli had ‘direct involvement’ with Lim through the undersea tunnel project. KUALA LUMPUR: A businessman claimed at the sessions court today that he became a “middleman” between fellow businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli and former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng as the former had faced “obstacles” in giving cash to the latter. G Gnanaraja told the court that Zarul had “direct involvement” with Lim through the undersea tunnel project. He claimed that Zarul “oversaw” his handover of money to Lim on two occasions in 2017. Lawyer Ramkarpal Singh, however, contended that Gnanaraja was “not needed” as a middleman. Ramkarpal: There was no impediment for Zarul to do that (hand over the money) – even if we take it as true? Gnanaraja: I cannot speak for Zarul. Ramkarpal then suggested that no cash was ever passed to Lim, but Gnanaraja disagreed. Gnanaraja also told the court that in 2017, he asked “several friends from Barisan Nasional” to help Zarul with an unspecified Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission probe. He said he sought the help of these “friends” for information on why Zarul was being investigated. However, Ramkarpal contended that Gnanaraja was actually aware of the probe and that the latter had demanded for money from Zarul. “You don’t have those so-called ‘friends’,” Ramkarpal added. Gnanaraja however disagreed with the defence. The hearing continues on April 20 and 21 before judge Azura Alwi. She said the court hoped that the trial could be completed by June. Lim is accused of using his position as then Penang chief minister to solicit a 10% share of profits from the undersea tunnel project and receiving RM3.3 million in bribes from Zarul. He also faces two charges of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land.