KUALA LUMPUR: Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial linked to the undersea tunnel project was postponed today as his lead lawyer is sick.
At the onset of the proceedings today, lawyer RSN Rayer told the Sessions Court that he was informed that his colleague, Haijan Omar, was down with fever at 2am today.
"I ask for the postponement of today's case. Lim needs Haijan's presence to continue with the impeachment (proceedings). I believe there is no objection from the prosecution. I apologise," he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin did not object, saying that Haijan's health condition warranted a postponement and adding that he hoped the defence lawyer would recover.
Judge Azura Alwi allowed the postponement and set Sept 19 and 20 to continue with the trial.
The impeachment proceedings today was supposed to have involved star prosecution witness, former Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli.
Lim, who is facing four corruption charges, had sent representation to the Attorney-General's Chambers but this was rejected.
The charges were linked to Lim allegedly using his position as the then chief minister to solicit gratification to help Zarul secure the project.
He was 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.
He was alleged to have sought 10 per cent of the profit to be made by the company from Zarul.
Lim pleaded not guilty to two counts of dishonest misappropriation of property by disposing of two plots of land belonging to the Penang government in Bandar Tanjong Pinang worth RM208 million to Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd and Zenith Urban Development Sdn Bhd — companies linked to the tunnel project — on Feb 17, 2015 and March 22, 2017.