Judge 'very disappointed' with Guan Eng's statement outside court

 

A Kuala Lumpur High Court judge has reprimanded former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng over the latter’s media statement linked to his ongoing corruption trial over the island's RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project.

Azura Alwi this morning expressed her disappointment with the accused’s statement issued on Friday last week.

“I previously emphasised that parties should not issue sub judice statements. This matter is within the full knowledge of you all as I previously mentioned that parties are mature, and this is not the first time (they are) facing court trials.

“This is not something alien or new to any of you. I am very disappointed this still happened,” the judge said.

“It really upsets me as the case is still ongoing. I hope this matter does not happen again, and you do not take this lightly,” Azura said as Lim looked on from the dock.

The term sub judice refers to a matter under judicial consideration and is therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere.

Lim’s counsel, Gobind Singh Deo, then stood up and apologised to the court.

Earlier in proceedings this morning, deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin had applied for the lower court to censure the accused over his public statement linked to the ongoing trial.

On Friday last week, via a public statement, Lim described court testimony alleging that he received bribes as untrue and “imaginary”.

This is after a witness in his corruption trial claimed that Lim was happy to receive RM200,000 in bribes in relation to the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.

Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (ZCSB) senior executive director Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli testified that Lim smiled as he handed an RM100,000 bribe to the then Penang chief minister in 2013.

The 23rd prosecution witness claimed that the accused also seemed happy when the former handed another RM100,000 in bribes to the latter in 2014.

Zarul claimed the payments were linked to Lim purportedly asking for 10 percent of the profit from the project in return for the project to be awarded to his company via direct negotiation.

Following Lim’s public statement, the MACC lodged a police report over alleged contempt of court.

The ongoing trial concerns four graft charges against Lim, all regarding the undersea tunnel project.

Zarul on medical leave

Meanwhile, the court was informed by Wan Shaharuddin that Zarul was unable to come today as the witness was on medical leave until Wednesday this week.

The prosecutor explained it is because Zarul had just recovered from Stage 1 cancer of the pancreas and may have suffered a relapse due to stress.

As a result, Lim's defence team was unable to proceed with the cross-examination of Zarul.

Instead, the prosecution today called another witness with alleged links to Zarul's testimony. - Mkini