Guan Eng arrested, to be charged tomorrow

(FMT) – Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in connection with the undersea tunnel project. He will be charged tomorrow.

The DAP secretary-general and former finance minister will be charged at the Kuala Lumpur special corruption court tomorrow morning under Section 16 (a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.

And on Aug 10, he will be charged under Section 23 of the same act at the Penang Sessions Court.

Meanwhile, MACC also said that Lim would be charged for a separate case on Aug 11 under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 at the Penang Sessions Court.

However MACC did not provide details of the charge.

Lim had earlier arrived at the MACC headquarters here at 9.10pm.

Lim, who is also the Bagan MP, had been called in by MACC several times in recent weeks over the agency’s investigation into the RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel and highways project that forms part of the Penang Transport Master Plan.

Last month, MACC chief Azam Baki said the investigation was centred on possible money laundering. He said he expected the investigation to end in two to three weeks.

Lim is among several current and former state leaders who have been called to give their statements. A former chairman of the Penang Port Commission was arrested recently, and later released on bail, and three companies raided as part of the investigation.

The project was mooted by the Penang government to alleviate traffic congestion. The 7.2km undersea tunnel will connect Pangkor Road on the island to Bagan Ajam in Butterworth.