Media, prosecution taken to task for acting on speculative reports in Guan Eng’s case

Defence lawyers of national DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng took the media to task for linking the ongoing graft trial with the assault on key prosecution witness Datuk G Gnanaraja.

“The media should refrain from reporting on matters concerning our client’s trial without first verifying the facts, as such reporting risks compromising the integrity of the proceedings and undermining our client’s presumption of innocence, said counsel Haijan Omar.

“We regret the premature and misleading nature of these reports, which have irresponsibly linked the incident to the ongoing trial. The insinuation of any connection between the incident and our client—echoed by remarks from the lead prosecutor—is baseless, unfair, and prejudicial.”

He also pointed out that the move by lead prosecutor Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin who has proposed for court protection to be based not on speculative and tendentious assumptions.

“According to Malaysiakini, lead prosecutor Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin stated that he was awaiting instructions from MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki on the next course of action, including the possibility of seeking court protection for the witness.

“While we acknowledge the prosecution’s consideration of protective measures, such steps must be based on genuine safety concerns—not on speculative and tendentious assumptions that unfairly associate our client with the incident.

“This kind of conjecture, whether by the media or the prosecution, undermines the integrity of the judicial process and causes unwarranted reputational harm to our client.

“We further regret the impulsive nature of Wan Shahruddin’s statement, which appears to have been made without the benefit of a complete police investigation. It remains unclear whether he sought clarification from the police regarding the motive behind the incident prior to making his remarks.

“It is unlikely that he did, given the subsequent statement by Petaling Jaya District Police Chief ACP Shahrulnizam Ja’afar, who confirmed that “it is a clear-cut robbery. No witness tampering involved.”

In view of this, the defence team would be raising the issue of impropriety during the next trial on August 19 at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court

The police on its part has confirmed that the assault was not linked to Lim’s case.

Lim is facing four graft charges that was allegedly committed during his tenure as Penang chief minister

First, an amended charge of using his position to solicit RM3.3mil in bribes as an inducement to assist former director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli in securing the undersea tunnel project worth RM6.34bil between Jan 2011 and 2017.

Second, Lim is accused of soliciting a 10% profit from the company as gratification to secure the project in March 2011.

He is also facing two further charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8mil, belonging to the Penang government, to be disposed of to two companies linked to the project.