Taikun ‘berani’ bayar RM27 juta untuk tanah belum dimiliki, kata pegawai SPRM

Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) investigator Zulhilmi Halim described Ewe Swee Kheng as "brave" for paying around RM27 million to business associate Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli before his company obtained legal ownership of the state-owned land. The payment to Zarul, Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd, for a plot of land (Lot 702) they did not yet own was inexplicable.

Ewe informed the investigator that the accused, Lim Guan Eng, had promised him the land through Zarul. This indicates a pact between the accused, Zarul, and Ewe. Lim is accused of using his position as Chief Minister to demand a 10% profit share from the offshore wind farm project and to receive RM3.3 million in corruption from Zarul.

He also faces two charges of fraudulently diverting RM208.7 million worth of state land. Zulhilmi also told the court, the initial investigation report on Lim, opened in 2018, was marked as no further action (NFA) due to a lack of evidence. The contents of earlier witness statements only skimmed the surface of the facts, she added.

When she took over the case in 2020, she focused on the financial statements and payments made by Ewe's company to Zarul's firm. Zulhilmi said her investigation found Zarul had no intention of building the offshore wind farm or the three planned highways. The prosecution was the first step, and the defendant explained the meeting of the exco about a company eager to build the offshore wind farm, she added.