KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer told the Sessions Court that he only learned during trial proceedings of allegations linking businessman Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli to another bidder in the Penang undersea tunnel and roads project.
Investigating officer Zulhilmi Ramli, the 38th prosecution witness in former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s corruption trial, made the acknowledgement during cross-examination by Lim’s lead counsel Haijan Omar.
Haijan questioned Zulhilmi over VST Cemerlang Sdn Bhd, one of the eight companies that participated in the request-for-proposal (RFP) exercise for the multi-billion-ringgit project.
The lawyer suggested that Zarul Ahmad, who was associated with Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) – part of the Consortium Zenith BUCG (CZBUCG) that eventually secured the project – had also played a role in VST Cemerlang’s participation in the bidding exercise.
Haijan: Are you aware that Zarul Ahmad also had links to VST Cemerlang?
Zulhilmi: No.
Haijan: Is this the first time you have learned in court that Datuk Zarul Ahmad had a role in placing VST Cemerlang in the RFP bidding process?
Zulhilmi: Yes.
Haijan then suggested that the issue had not been investigated, including the reasons behind VST Cemerlang’s participation in the bidding process.
“I disagree,” Zulhilmi said, maintaining that his investigation was based on the complaint lodged in the case.
At one point, Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin objected to the line of questioning, noting that Zarul Ahmad had previously testified that he had “planted” VST in the bidding process despite being told that BUCG would secure the project.
He argued that the issue had already been canvassed during Zarul Ahmad’s testimony and should instead be raised by the defence in its submissions.
VST Cemerlang partnered with China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd in its tender submission for the project.
Judge Azura Alwi then instructed the witness to answer directly whether he had investigated the matter, describing it as a specific question relating to VST.
Zulhilmi subsequently agreed that he did not investigate why VST Cemerlang had participated in the bidding process, but disagreed that it was an important aspect that had been overlooked in the investigation.
The trial resumes on July 23.
Lim, 65, is charged with using his position to obtain RM3.3mil in gratification linked to the project, allegedly committed at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office in Komtar between January 2011 and August 2017.
He also faces a second charge of using his position to obtain a 10% profit from the project as gratification, allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel in Mid Valley City in March 2011, as well as two charges involving the disposal of Penang government land valued at RM208.8mil to companies linked to the project.
