Zulhilmi Halim, from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), said a task force was set up in 2018 to look into every aspect of the project and review witness statements.

He officially took over as investigating officer in June 2020.

“Yes, (previously) a handwritten internal memo attached to the tunnel project files stated ‘no case’ against the accused person (Lim).

“Our investigation was not only about him,” Zulhilmi said, when questioned by Lim’s lawyer Haijan Omar.

Haijan had asked Zulhilmi about the purported note in the undersea tunnel project documents.

“Do you know who wrote this memo?” the lawyer asked, to which the officer said he did not.

“We recalled some witnesses and took further statements from them because their previous evidence was insufficient,” Zulhilmi added.

When asked what happened to the file on the tunnel project, Zulhilmi said it had been kept at MACC’s records department and that he no longer had access to it.

The hearing continues on June 4 and 5 before judge Azura Alwi.

Lim is accused of using his position as then chief minister to solicit a 10% share of profits from the undersea tunnel project, as well as obtaining RM3.3 million in bribes from businessman Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli.

He also faces two charges of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land.