Businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli said the alleged promise was made some time in March 2011, and that he informed officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission of it when his statement was recorded seven years later.

“I told them Lim said that if I could arrange for an MoU (memorandum of understanding) to be signed with China’s premier, he would award me the tunnel project through direct negotiation,” he said.

Zarul also insisted that he told MACC the details of money allegedly paid to Lim when the anti-graft agency’s investigation against Lim was ongoing.

However, Zarul said he did not provide the “whole story” when MACC recorded his statement in connection with its investigation into a cheating case involving fellow businessman G Gnanaraja.

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 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 from two companies.

The court will also decide whether to allow the prosecution to call investigating officer Ng Heng Jun, who investigated Gnanaraja for alleged cheating.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin indicated to the court that Ng was the officer who purportedly instructed Zarul to “give separate statements” for Gnanaraja and Lim’s cases.

He said Ng’s testimony was needed to corroborate Zarul’s claim.

Lawyer Tiara Katrina Fuad, appearing for Lim, said Ng was not named as the recording officer who took Zarul’s statement.

“He does not have personal knowledge of what happened (during the recording),” she said.

The hearing before sessions court judge Azura Alwi continues on Oct 9.