GEORGETOWN ― Betty Chew, wife to Malaysia's former finance minister Lim Guan Eng, has been arrested after she turned up at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office this morning, her lawyer said.

“MACC arrested Betty Chew. I am accompanying her to have her statement taken,” Mr Lee Khai told Malay Mail when contacted on Friday (Aug 7) afternoon.

He added that Lim’s sister, Ms Lim Hui Ying, who had accompanied Chew to the MACC had posted her bail of RM50,000 (S$16,400).

A source within the MACC also told Malay Mail that the commission plans to charge Chew and Penang businesswoman Phang Li Koon along with Lim at the Sessions Court here next week.

However, the source who spoke on condition of anonymity, could not reveal the details of the possible charges.

Chew, a former Melaka state lawmaker, was seen entering MACC headquarters at about 10.45am.

Phang, who was jointly charged with Lim over graft allegations in 2016, was reportedly called in for questioning on Thursday night and detained.

Lim was arrested and held overnight by the MACC on Thursday after he went in to assist in an investigation into the RM6.3 million undersea tunnel project.

The former Penang chief minister was charged with soliciting a bribe from the company that was awarded the contract to build the undersea tunnel in the Special Corruption Court in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

Lim claimed trial to asking for 10 per cent of profits from Zarul Zulkifli as inducement to help his company, Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, get the project to build the undersea tunnel.

The 7.2km undersea tunnel was planned to connect Penang’s state capital George Town to mainland Butterworth.

The charge, under Section 16 (a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009, carries a maximum 20 years' jail and a fine of up to five times the value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

He is expected to be charged at the Sessions Court on Monday and Tuesday under Section 23 of the MACC Act for other cases.

Lim and Phang were both acquitted by the High Court in September 2018 for graft charges in 2016. MALAY MAIL