The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) source said the 53-year-old man was once arrested for an investigation.

He said the man had cooperated fully with the investigation team and given sworn statements to assist with the prosecution’s case.

“We did not pressure him whatsoever. He cooperated willingly. He was one of the main prosecution witnesses over the land swap deal,” the source told FMT.

Although police did not reveal the name of the businessman, it was reported by Sin Chew that the deceased was Ewein Bhd founder and executive chairman Ewe Swee Kheng.

In 2018, Ewe was arrested by MACC for investigations into claims of corruption in the undersea tunnel project.

He was the main witness in the corruption trial, which is ongoing, but had yet to be called to the stand.

Lim was charged in the High Court with using his position as then chief minister to ask a developer for a 10% cut of the profits from the undersea tunnel project.

He is also accused of seeking RM3.3 million in kickbacks to appoint a developer to undertake the RM6.3 billion project, which includes three main roads.

In addition, he faces two counts of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land to two companies.

Earlier, police said a man had fallen from the Palazzo condominium at Kelawei Road this morning.

Northeast district police chief Soffian Santong said there would be no further comment pending an investigation.

The man was taken to the Penang Hospital and later pronounced dead.