KUALA LUMPUR (April 1): Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s entourage was not allowed to enter the courtroom where his Penang undersea tunnel graft trial proceedings were to be held, which prompted his senior counsel Gobind Singh Deo to complain to the court on the matter.

When Friday’s (April 1) proceedings of Lim’s Penang undersea tunnel graft trial commenced, Gobind informed Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi that his client’s wife, two members of Parliament (MPs), and members of his defence team were not allowed entry to the courtroom.

“[Judge Azura], I would like to bring up this matter… the police are not allowing anyone in.

“Even Lim’s wife was not allowed in until I intervened. However, there are still others outside, including my own assistants and also two MPs,” he said.

According to Gobind, the police outside prevented them from entering the courtroom, even though the defence lawyer said he had previously filled in the relevant forms for the court to allow them to enter.

When faced with this, Azura noted that if Gobind had filled in the relevant forms they should be allowed to enter, but added that she is bound by standard operating procedures (SOPs) and noted that the matter is out of her control.

Only after Friday’s proceedings concluded were Lim’s entourage seen entering the courtroom.

As part of its Covid-19 safety protocols, the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex adheres to strict SOPs in allowing people to appear in open court hearings.

Individuals entering court premises are placed under stringent inspection before being granted entry, with only a limited number of family members being allowed to enter open court proceedings for those facing criminal trials.

Prior to Gobind’s tirade, the 11th prosecution witness — former Penang legal adviser Datuk Faiza Zulkifli, who was called back to the court for Friday’s proceedings — was said to have tested positive for Covid-19 and was therefore unable to testify, according to Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.

Therefore, Friday's proceedings only consisted of three prior witnesses — former Penang state exco meeting attendees M Maheswari, Vijayalakchimi Subramaniam and Datuk Ng Wee Kok — who were called back to the Sessions Court to verify minutes of Penang state exco meetings.

Via DPP Mahadi Jumaat’s line of questioning, various minutes of state exco meetings were verified by the witnesses before the court.

Lim has claimed trial to two counts of dishonestly misappropriating property, namely in releasing two plots of state land — said to be worth RM208.8 million — to Ewein Zenith and Zenith Urban Development Bhd.

The DAP chairman is also accused of soliciting a 10% cut in profits from the undersea tunnel project from Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur in 2011.