Guan Eng's wife, Bungalow-gate's Phang detained by MACC - sources

The MACC has detained Betty Chew, the wife of former finance minister Lim Guan Eng.

According to an MACC source, businesswoman Phang Li Koon, who was previously charged and acquitted over Lim's bungalow scandal, had also been arrested.

It is understood that Phang was detained last night, while Chew had turned up at the Penang MACC headquarters today.

Earlier, the MACC source said Chew was being questioned in relation to Guan Eng's court case next Tuesday.

Speculation is rife that the former finance minister's bungalow scandal may be brought to court again.

Lim was charged in 2016 for allegedly receiving gratification by purchasing a house from Phang at below market value in 2015 when he was the Penang chief minister.

He was also charged with abusing his power as Penang chief minister by re-zoning a plot of land that was eventually acquired by Magnificient Emblem Sdn Bhd, a company linked to Phang, who was charged with abetment.

Phang was charged for abetting Lim.

Both were granted an acquittal by the High Court in 2018, a move which the MACC found "shocking".

An application to review the acquittal at the Court of Appeal was supposed to be heard in February but was disrupted by the Sheraton move political crisis.

Lim is expected to be charged in the Sessions Court in Penang on Aug 10 and 11. The case on Monday is believed to be related to the undersea tunnel project in the state.

This morning, Guan Eng claimed trial to a charge of soliciting bribes in connection with the RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project.

The former Penang chief minister, who spent the night at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya following his arrest, is accused of soliciting the bribe to facilitate the awarding of a contract with regard to the project.

According to the charge, he had asked for 10 percent in future profit from the project as a fee to help a company, helmed by Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, to be appointed to carry out the construction of main roads and tunnels in the Penang undersea tunnel project.

Zarul Ahmad is senior executive director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, which was awarded the project. - Mkini