KUALA LUMPUR: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial involving the Penang undersea tunnel project has been postponed as he is still under Covid-19 quarantine.
Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, representing the former finance minister, informed the court that his client could not attend proceedings as he needs to be quarantined at home from Sept 1 until 10.
"We sent a letter to inform the court about this matter… We want to apologise for any trouble caused," he said before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi today.
The letter sighted by the New Straits Times stated that Lim had been served with an order to remain at home for 10 days after coming into close contact with a Covid-19 positive person.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharudin Wan Ladin did not object to the application.
The trial will resume on Sept 22.
On Aug 7, last year, Lim who is former Penang chief minister, was charged with soliciting a bribe from the company awarded the contract to undertake the controversial RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.
The Bagan member of parliament was alleged to have asked for 10 per cent of the potential profits from Datuk Zarul Zulkifli and in return, would help Zarul's company, Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, be appointed to carry out the main roads and tunnels project in Penang.
On Aug, 10, the same year, Lim was charged at the Butterworth Sessions Court in Penang, with abusing his power to obtain a RM3.3 million bribe as an inducement to appoint Zarul's company to implement the RM6,341,383,702 undersea tunnel and three paired roads projects in the state.
On Sept 11, in the same court, he was charged with two more counts of misappropriation of property by disposing 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.