Malaysia Forced The Former Minister Involved In The 1.5 Billion USD Project To Cooperate With China

 

Former Malaysian finance minister Lim Guan Eng.

Lim Guan Eng, the former Malaysian finance minister, was arrested on corruption charges related to a $ 1.5 billion undersea tunnel construction project in cooperation with China.

Mr. Lim is a key member of the government ruled by the Pakatan Harapan party. This party was overthrown in March. The former Malaysian finance minister will be detained overnight to wait for court on Aug. 7, according to the South China Morning Post.

In a brief statement, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said Mr Lim will face three different charges under the country's anti-corruption law at trials on August 7, August 10 and 11/8.

The agreement to build the tunnel was signed in 2008 during the term of Mr. Lim, then the head of the state of Penang. The project includes converting wasteland to build highways, subway lines and an undersea tunnel connecting Penang Island to mainland Malaysia. This project is still going on so far.

The project was awarded to the Malaysian company Zenith Construction and the Beijing Urban Construction Group in 201. Subsequently, the Malaysian company acquired the Chinese company's stake in the conglomerate.

Mr Lim, 59, was the first in the Pakatan Harapan coalition of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to face legal charges.