KUALA LUMPUR (May 18): Finance Minister-designate Lim Guan Eng is expected to be sworn in on Monday but until now his lawyers are unclear over the status of his ongoing corruption case brought by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) last year.

The hearing of the case was scheduled to continue on Monday before Penang High Court Judge Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail but Lim’s lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo said he is not sure if it will be heard.

Early this week, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Lim, 56, would have to clear his corruption case before he can be sworn in.

On June 30 last year, Lim, the former Penang Chief Minister, pleaded not guilty to two corruption charges related to his involvement in a land conversion case (from agriculture status to residential), and to have used his position to buy a bungalow below market value.

Businesswoman Phang Li Khoon, 46, was also changed with abetment.

Both Lim and Phang have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Gobind told theedgemarkets.com that as Lim’s lawyer he would be in court on Monday morning, but that circumstances could change in the next 48 hours.

“Dr Mahathir said the rule of law would be followed. So let us wait and see. As of now the case is going on. If Lim cannot appear in court, I would have to explain to the judge,” he said.

News reports quoting lawyers claim that Lim’s charges can be dropped if the Attorney-General finds sufficient evidence they were politically motivated.

However, this has raised questions about the application of the rule of law if the charges are dropped so as to allow Lim to take on the post of Finance Minister.