KUALA LUMPUR: A key witness in the Penang undersea tunnel graft trial told the Sessions Court today he served Lim Guan Eng to ensure matters were carried out smoothly.
Businessman Datuk Seri G. Gnanaraja said this when asked by Lim’s lawyer Ramkarpal Singh why he allowed the former Penang chief minister to use his company, Bumi Muhibah Capital Holding Sdn Bhd, for fraudulent purposes.
On July 23, Gnanaraja had testified that his company was used to channel bribe payments to the DAP adviser.
Gnanaraja said the Bagan member of parliament also instructed him to open a bank account under Bumi Muhibah, which was incorporated on Aug 10, 2016.
He said the former finance minister did not specifically name the company, but only asked him to open one.
He also denied Ramkarpal’s suggestion that he allowed the company to be used for fraud.
Ramkarpal: You set up Bumi Muhibbah for investment purposes. I put it to you that Bumi Muhibbah never invested in anything.
Gnanaraja: Yes.
Ramkarpal: You were using Bumi Muhibbah for fraud.
Gnanaraja: No, no, no… not fraud.
Ramkarpal: Why did you allow Bumi Muhibbah to be used for wrongful purposes?
Gnanaraja: Technically, that is your interpretation. At that time, I was serving the (then) chief minister.
Ramkarpal: So you have to do what the chief minister told you?
Gnanaraja: Yes.
Meanwhile, Gnanaraja admitted he only met Lim twice in August 2017, and had neither spoken to him nor had his phone number before that.
He said he never met Lim again after August 2017.
Gnanaraja was testifying in Lim’s corruption trial in which he faces the first amended charge of using his position to solicit RM3.3 million in bribes.
Lim is facing four charges of using his position as the then Penang chief minister to solicit gratification to help Zarul’s company secure the undersea tunnel project.
He is alleged to have sought 10 per cent of the profit to be made by the company from Zarul.
He is also accused of receiving RM3.3 million for himself and causing two plots of land belonging to the state government to be disposed of to two companies linked to the undersea tunnel project.
The trial continues tomorrow.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
