Nazri Aziz, who was the tourism minister from 2013 to 2018, also said he did not receive any money from Zarul to help introduce him to Lim, who was then Penang chief minister, in relation to the project.
Nazri, the 14th prosecution witness, said this when cross-examined by Lim’s lead counsel, Gobind Singh Deo, who queried him on questions posed by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigating officers.
Gobind: Did they ask you whether you received money from Zarul for the introduction or the project?
Nazri: No.
Gobind: Did he (Zarul ) give you RM500,000 in respect of this project?
Nazri: No, but he gave me a donation to help rehabilitate dilapidated religious schools in Pattani district in southern Thailand.
Nazri said it was not unusual for parties to hand over project proposals, like what Zarul was attempting to secure in the undersea tunnel project from the Penang government.
He agreed with Gobind that he had met parties outside his office late at night because he had been busy.
Re-examined by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Nazri, 67, explained that he came from Ulu Perak and there were many Malay Muslims whose roots were in Pattani.
“I have visited the district and have seen ‘pondok’ schools, mosques and suraus in rundown conditions. I have received contributions for this cause,” he said.
Earlier, in his witness statement, Nazri, who is also the Padang Rengas MP, said he served Najib Razak’s administration to help promote and develop the tourism sector.
He said he came to know Zarul in the 1990s through friends and their friendship had grown since then.
“I am close to Zarul not for business or politics, but more for personal and social interactions,” he said.
Nazri said Zarul expressed his desire to meet a “powerful person” from Penang to implement a project in the state.
“I am not sure when he said this. I took the initiative to contact Lim and told him that someone wanted to meet him,” he said.
The meeting between Lim and Zarul took place at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur some time in early January 2011.
Nazri said he met Lim at the pub of the hotel at about 9pm and Zarul joined them about 10 minutes later.
“I introduced Zarul to Lim but I cannot recollect what their conversation was about,” he said, adding that he knew Lim due to their involvement in politics.
He said the discussions between Lim and Zarul lasted for about an hour after which Zarul left.
He said both he and Lim left at about 11pm.
Nazri said Lim and Zarul met again at an Italian restaurant in Kuala Lumpur in March 2011.
Lim is standing trial on charges of using his position to ask Zarul for a 10% cut of the profits from the undersea tunnel project, and accepting RM3.3 million in kickbacks from the businessman.
He is also accused of two counts of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land to two companies.
The hearing before Judge Azura Alwi continues.