Firm discussed undersea tunnel project with Penang govt without other bidders: Witness

An investigating officer told the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today that discussions had taken place between Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) and the Penang government regarding the Penang undersea tunnel project without involving other bidders.

MACC Investigation Division senior superintendent Zulhilmi Ramli said the situation gave BUCG an advantage in securing the project through direct negotiation before the implementation method was changed to an open tender.

“Based on my investigation, BUCG submitted a lower-priced bid and also had a technical advantage, which enabled it to win the tender for the project,” said the 38th prosecution witness, who is also the investigating officer in the corruption case involving the project.

He said this during cross-examination by lawyer Haijan Omar in the corruption trial of former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng in connection with the RM6.3 billion major roads and undersea tunnel project.

Meanwhile, Zulhilmi disagreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that meetings between BUCG and the Penang government concerning the project, held on May 10 and 19 and July 11, 2011, were not specifically arranged by Lim.

However, he agreed with Haijan’s suggestion that the three meetings were attended only by BUCG representatives, state government officers, and state government ex officio members, and that Lim was not present.

Lim, 65, is charged with using his position as then Penang chief minister to obtain gratification for himself, amounting to RM3.3 million.

The offence was allegedly committed by assisting a company owned by former Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd director Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli to secure the appointment to undertake the RM6,341,383,702 roads and tunnel construction project in Penang between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office.

For the second charge, the Bagan MP is accused of soliciting a bribe amounting to 10 percent of the profits to be derived from the project from Zarul as an inducement for helping the businessperson’s company secure the same project.

The offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur, between 12.30am and 2am in March 2011.

He also faces two charges of causing two plots of land belonging to the Penang government, valued at RM208.8 million, to be disposed of to a developer linked to the undersea tunnel project.

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

The trial before Judge Azura Alwi continues tomorrow.

- Bernama

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