Guan Eng

Lim Guan Eng, a Malaysian politician and former Finance Minister, currently faces active legal proceedings involving corruption and money laundering charges. In August 2020, Lim, his wife Betty Chew, and businesswoman Phang Li Koon were charged in the Butterworth Sessions Court regarding a RM11.6 million foreign workers' hostel project. Lim is accused of abusing his position to receive RM372,009 for his wife, while Chew faces money laundering charges related to those funds. As of April 2026, the Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on an application to strike out these charges. Separately, Lim faces trial for corruption involving the RM6.34 billion Penang undersea tunnel project. He is charged with abusing his position to obtain RM3.3 million in gratification, soliciting a 10 percent share of future profits, and two counts of disposing of state-owned land valued at RM208.8 million between 2011 and 2017. This trial is ongoing. In 2018, Lim was acquitted and discharged by the Penang High Court regarding a previous charge involving the purchase of a bungalow at below-market value. Earlier in his career, he faced controversy in 2011 for disparaging remarks about Johor, for which he later issued a formal apology, and in 2014 for his purchase of a government-funded Mercedes-Benz.