Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli had earlier claimed to have paid RM2 million to Lim as “kickbacks” for the tunnel project.

Zarul said his lawyers had sent a letter of demand to fellow businessman G Gnanaraja in 2017 to return some RM19 million given to Gnanaraja. However, he said Gnanaraja ignored the request.

Yesterday, he said he paid RM19 million to Gnanaraja thinking the latter would help him to halt money laundering investigations and to get close to former prime minister Najib Razak.

Gnanaraja was subsequently charged at the Shah Alam sessions court for allegedly cheating Zarul.

Today, Lim’s lawyer Haijan Omar questioned Zarul about media statements he made in 2018 and 2019.

Haijan pointed out that Zarul reportedly said in 2018 that his company “received threats from con men who demanded protection money and claimed they had close ties with those in the Barisan Nasional government”.

“You also denied Raja Petra (Kamarudin)’s claim that there was an element of corruption in the tunnel project?” the lawyer asked.

Zarul answered in the affirmative.

Haijan: In your statement to MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission), you never made any corruption claims against Lim Guan Eng?

Zarul: I was told specifically to focus on (the cheating case involving) Gnanaraja.

Zarul did not specify who “told” him to focus on the case involving Gnanaraja.

The hearing continues on March 15 before judge Azura Alwi.

Lim is standing trial on charges of using his position as then Penang chief minister to ask Zarul for a 10% cut of the profits from the undersea tunnel project and accepting a total of RM3.3 million in kickbacks between 2011 and 2017 from the businessman.

He is also accused of two counts of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land.