A businessman told the sessions court in Lim Guan Eng’s undersea tunnel project corruption trial that he paid the then Penang chief minister RM2 million in cash eight years ago.
G Gnanaraja said he handed RM1 million to Lim on Aug 18, 2017 in Mont Kiara here.
He said a second payment was made when Lim visited his home 11 days later.
According to Gnanaraja, Lim arrived at his house in the early hours of Aug 29, in a car driven by businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli.
Gnanaraja said the purpose of the visit was to discuss “setting up a company and a bank account” to handle matters relating to the undersea tunnel project.
“Datuk Zarul asked for this company to be used to pay YB Lim,” he said, referring to Bumi Muhibah Capital Holding Sdn Bhd.
“YB also said that he needed someone he could trust in managing funds that would be channelled to him, and I would be a suitable person as I was not a member of any political party,” said Gnanaraja.
The businessman told the court that Lim wanted the bank account opened to receive about RM30 million, and that the funds would come via Zarul.
“YB Lim also said that Datuk Zarul agreed to his request for a 10% share from the undersea tunnel project.”
According to Gnanaraja, the discussion between the three men went on for one hour.
The court previously heard that Lim had posed for photographs with members of Gnanaraja’s family during the visit.
At the end of the meeting, the witness said he retrieved a bag containing RM1 million from his car and handed it to Lim as he was leaving.
The hearing continues before judge Azura Alwi.
Lim is accused of using his position as 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.
