The Sessions Court today permitted former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to have portions of a witness statement by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deleted in his ongoing corruption case involving the undersea tunnel project.

Judge Azura Alwi ruled that certain sentences in eight of the 23 paragraphs from the statement of MACC Senior Superintendent Zulhilmi Ramli should be removed. “The court has heard, examined, and considered all submissions. Only some sentences from the witness statement involved should be deleted,” she said. Proceedings resumed after the ruling, with the prosecution continuing to question the witness.

Lim, 64, is accused of abusing his position as Penang Chief Minister to receive a RM3.3 million bribe from Zarul Ahmad to assist his company in securing the Major Roads and Undersea Tunnel Construction Project, valued at over RM6.34 billion. The alleged offence occurred between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Chief Minister’s Office in Penang.

In a second charge, Lim faces accusations of soliciting a 10% bribe on the project’s future profits from Zarul Ahmad, allegedly occurring near The Gardens Hotel, Mid Valley City, in March 2011 between 12.30 am and 2.00 am.

Additionally, Lim is charged with disposing of two lots of state-owned land in Penang, valued at RM208.8 million, to a developer linked to the undersea tunnel project. The alleged offences took place at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Komtar, on Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017.