Consortium Zenith BUCG (CZBUCG) held three private meetings with the Penang state government on May 10, May 19, and July 11, 2011, receiving technical and financial details about the RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel and roads project before the open tender began [1, 2, 3]. These early briefings gave CZBUCG access to key cost forecasts and data that other bidders did not have. [1, 3] Investigating officer Zulhilmi Ramli said, "Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd received technical and financial advantages. This follows, [since] there is discussion between the company and the Penang government without the attendance of others who may bid for the tender." [1] He added the information allowed CZBUCG to offer a lower price, stating, "This is over the cost and forecast… and this provided the company (CZBUCG) to offer a lower price compared to other companies who tendered for the project. Hence, CZBUCG received the technical advantage and hence won the tender." [3]
The Penang government originally planned to award the project by direct negotiation but later adopted an open tender process [1, 3]. In that tender, CZBUCG scored 93%, the highest among five bidders, beating the nearest competitor VST Cemerlang, which scored 77% [4, 5]. VST Cemerlang also participated through the open tender process [4, 5]. When asked if Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli had planted or influenced VST Cemerlang’s participation, Zulhilmi Ramli replied, "I do not know." The claim remains unconfirmed [4, 5].
Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng was not present at any of the three key private meetings between CZBUCG and the state government [1, 2, 3]. Lim is charged with corruption related to alleged gratification of RM3.3 million linked to helping a company owned by Zarul Ahmad obtain the project [1, 2, 5]. The undersea tunnel and roads project itself is valued at RM6.3 billion [4, 5]. One source also cited two state land lots valued at RM208.8 million were disposed of connected to the project [2].
The timeline of key events stretches from the first meeting in May 2011 to allegations over the project period between January 2011 and August 2017 [4, 5]. In 2025, Zarul Ahmad testified that he received bidding advantages linked to the project [1]. The ongoing legal proceedings involving Lim Guan Eng remain a critical next step in the case.
