Gobind Singh Deo told Azura a policeman on duty did not allow Betty Chew to enter the courtroom although she had been present at all the previous hearings.

“The policeman refused her entry though I understand that he was only performing his duty,” Gobind said at the outset of today’s hearing.

He said several of Lim’s supporters were also denied entry.

“In the past, there was no problem for them to be in court to follow the case,” Gobind, who is also the Puchong MP, said.

Azura said she was subjected to the decisions of a committee that oversaw the Covid-19 SOPs in the court complex.

“I was not informed of the situation. However, one could enter the courtroom as long as the SOPs are followed,” she said.

She said a list of those who want to be physically present must be submitted at least two days before a proceeding.

“Next time, give us the list and we will try to accomodate,” she said.

Gobind said a list had been provided in the past ahead of a hearing.

Later, three prosecution witnesses – M Maheswari, S Vijayalakshmi and Ng Wee Kok – who took notes of the Penang executive council meetings in relation to the undersea tunnel project tendered about 30 exhibits as they were the makers of the documents.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharudin Wan Ladin informed Azura that former Penang legal adviser Faiza Zulkifli could not be present to be cross-examined as she was down with Covid-19.

Lim is on trial on charges of using his former position as Penang chief minister to ask Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd director Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli for a 10% cut of the profits from the 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 has been adjourned to May 26 as fixed earlier.