Tunnel project included in RFP despite feasibility study challenges: Witness

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court was informed today that the Penang government proceeded with including the construction of major roads and an undersea tunnel in its request for proposal (RFP) documents, despite anticipated challenges in conducting the feasibility study.

Former Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd director Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, 66, said these challenges were highlighted by Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) during its meeting with the state government on May 10, 2011, as recorded in the minutes.

“In this regard, BUCG requested that relevant state government departments or agencies provide input during the preparation of the feasibility study to ensure alignment with state planning and acceptance by the government,” he read from the minutes of the meeting.

He was responding to re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin in the corruption trial of former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng, who faces four charges related to the construction of major roads and an undersea tunnel.

As the 23rd prosecution witness, Zarul further testified that BUCG had appointed expert consultants from Malaysia and China to conduct the feasibility study and complete the project design within three months.

He explained that the RFP documents would only be prepared once the overall feasibility and design had been approved by independent consultants and the state government.

Wan Shaharuddin: Zarul, you stated that since May 10, 2011, the feasibility study for the project was difficult to conduct, yet the Penang government still included it in the RFP?

Zarul: Correct.

When asked why the feasibility study and detailed design of the project remained incomplete to date, Zarul responded, “There are still many factors affecting the study, such as unresolved issues concerning shipping traffic and port operations, which remain unsettled to this day.”

Charges

According to the amended first charge, Lim, 64, was accused, in his capacity as the then-chief minister of Penang, of abusing his position to receive a bribe of RM3.3 million to assist a company owned by Zarul in securing the roads and undersea tunnel construction project in Penang, valued at RM6,341,383,702.

The offence allegedly took place between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Chief Minister’s Office in Penang.

Under the amended second charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a 10 percent bribe out of the project’s future profits from Zarul for assisting his company in securing the same project.

The solicitation allegedly took place near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, between 12.30am and 2am in March 2011.

Additionally, Lim faces two charges of disposing of a couple of state-owned lots of land in Penang, valued at RM208.8 million, to a developer linked to the undersea tunnel project.

These offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Komtar, on Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017.

The trial before judge Azura Alwi is scheduled to resume on April 14.

- Bernama

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