Guan Eng trial: Another prosecution witness takes the stand on Day 2

Wern Shern seen outside court.

GEORGE TOWN: The second day of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's high-profile corruption trial continues with a financial planner taking the stand as the 12th prosecution witness.

 

The first witness on Tuesday, Lim Wern Shern, said he was approached by Betty Chew, who is Guan Eng's wife, for a housing loan in 2013 when he was working as a sales manager at Citibank.

 

He said Guan Eng then signed the agreement in December the same year but the process was incomplete.

 

Wern Shern said Chew contacted him again in June 2015 for a property loan at No. 25, Jalan Pinhorn sold by businesswoman Phang Li Koon to Guan Eng.

 

He said the loan made to Guan Eng amounted to RM2.1mil with a monthly instalment of RM16,172.39.

 

During cross-examination, Guan Eng's counsel Gobind Singh Deo questioned if Wern Shen had experience and knowledge in matters involving sale and purchase of properties, which he affirmed.

 

Wern Shern also agreed with Gobind when he was asked if it was common practice for the purchase price of a house to be agreed upon before seeking a bank loan.

Guan Eng and Phang pleaded not guilty to amended charges on Monday (March 26).

 

For the first amended charge, Guan Eng was charged with using his position as a public officer, namely, Chief Minister of Penang, to gain gratification for himself and his wife, by approving the application for conversion of agriculture land to a public housing zone in southwest Penang to a company, Magnificient Emblem Sdn Bhd.

 

Guan Eng, 58, was charged with committing the offence while chairing the Penang State Planning Committee meeting at the operations room, Level 28, Komtar building here, on July 18, 2014.

 

The amended charge involved the change of "civil servant" to public officer".

 

The charge under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the sum or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

 

For the second amended charge, Guan Eng was charged with using his position to obtain for himself a plot of land and a bungalow, located at No 25, Jalan Pinhorn, George Town, from Phang for RM2.8mil, a price which he allegedly knew did not commensurate with the property's then market value of RM4.27mil.

 

The offence was allegedly committed at No 25 Jalan Pinhorn, George Town here on Oct 21, 2015 (instead of July 28, 2015 as stated in the original charge).

 

The charge was framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

 

Phang also pleaded not guilty to an amended charge with abetting Guan Eng in obtaining the bungalow at an undervalued cost at the same place and date.

 

She was charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 165 of the same law, which provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

 

The prosecution team is led by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Masri Mohd Daud, while Guan Eng is represented by a panel of lawyers, including Gobind, Ramkarpal Singh and RSN Rayer.

 

Lawyers Datuk V.Sithambaram and Hisyam Teh Poh Teik acted for Phang.