GEORGE TOWN: Baling Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim told the High Court here today, that no action was taken against him by the authorities over a notice of claim made against him for conspiring with another person to obtain RM3 million in connection with an undersea tunnel construction project in Penang.
He said the notice of claim, filed by Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, which is the developer of the mega project, was withdrawn and the case was resolved.
“In the end, the case was dismissed. I was not arrested, but somebody else was detained for investigation,” he said to a question by his lawyer, Datuk Seri Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos, during the hearing of his defamation suit against former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in connection with the undersea tunnel project.
Abdul Azeez, who is former Tabung Haji chairman, agreed with Jahaberdeen’s suggestion that the authorities not taking any action against him over the claim, showed he did not commit the offence.
When cross-examined by Lim’s lawyer, Datuk N. Mureli, Abdul Azeez told the court that he disagreed with the counsel’s suggestion that Lim’s statement questioned the integrity of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and did not damage his (Abdul Azeez) reputation.
However, he agreed with Mureli that the statement by Lim had influenced the people’s votes and caused him to lose his majority votes in the last general election.
The hearing before judge Datuk Rosilah Yop continues on Dec 9.
Abdul Azeez filed the suit in March last year, claiming that Lim, who is currently the Finance Minister, had issued defamatory statements during a press conference at the Chief Minister’s office on Feb 28, 2018, and during a Chinese New Year open house hosted by the Penang Development Corporation on the same day, connecting him with a payment of RM3 million in consultation fees by the developer of the undersea tunnel project.
He claimed the statements gained widespread coverage and was published in a number of websites, electronic news sites and local newspapers. He is seeking, among others, general and exemplary damages and other relief deemed fit by the court. — Bernama
