KUALA LUMPUR: The owner of a company awarded the RM6.34 billion Penang undersea tunnel project said he gave RM2 million each to Lim Guan Eng and Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the Sessions court heard today.
Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli said this when cross-examined by Lim's lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo in the former Penang chief minister's corruption trial.
The Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) director said he withdrew RM2 million from his company's account via a cheque, which he then gave to the middleman G. Ganaraja.
Zarul said he took another RM2 million from his deposit box, which was intended for the former prime minister.
All the monies were given to a middleman known as G. Gnanaraja near Eastin Hotel in August 2017.
Gobind: So, you are saying you gave RM2 million to Najib and another RM2 million to Lim?
Zarul: Yes.
Gobind: But you only went to Eastin Hotel once in August 2017?
Zarul: I bought RM4 million on that particular date.
Gobind: That is a lie.
Zarul: I do not agree.
The 63-year-old businessman earlier testified that he was willing to protect Lim to the extent of bribing Najib who was the prime minister at that time, to stop a probe on the controversial Penang undersea tunnel project.
However, Gobind argued that Zarul lied about his intention to protect the Bagan member of parliament as the payment was made for his own benefit.
Gobind also contended that Zarul was prepared to lie to protect himself from being prosecuted, including giving an untrue press statement in 2018 where he said there were no elements of corruption in the project as it was all done above board.
Lim is facing four charges of using his position as the then chief minister to solicit gratification to help Zarul's company secure the 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 to two companies linked to the tunnel project.
The trial before judge Azura Alwi continues.