High Court sets Nov 14 for Guan Eng's corruption case

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang High Court has fixed Nov 14 for mention in the graft and power abuse trial involving Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (pix) and businesswoman Phang Li Khoon.
High Court Judge Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail set the date after the case was brought up for mention today.
The date was fixed after Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Budiman Lufti Mohamad said the Court of Appeal set August 7 for the hearing of the constitutionality of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
The appeal at the appellate court was lodged after the Penang High Court in March ruled Section 62 of the Act was constitutional.
Lim and Phang had contended the provision violated the tenet of presumed innocent until proven guilty.
R. S. N. Rayer, who was acting for Lim, then requested the High Court for a date in November pending the process at the appellate court.
He said he felt that whatever decision made at the Court of Appeal, an appeal will be lodged at the Federal Court.
Also appearing for the prosecution was DPP Ashrof Adrin Kamarul and DPP Muhamad Izzat Fauzan while Datuk V. Sithambaran appeared for Phang.
Both Lim and Phang are facing charges under the Act for the sale and purchase of a bungalow in 2014.
Several trial dates were set for March until July but these have been vacated pending the outcome on the constitutionality of the Act.