KUALA LUMPUR: Former education minister Mahdzir Khalid told the High Court in Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial that the possibility a contractor would not be able to deliver the solar panel project for Sarawak schools was never brought up to the Dewan Rakyat.
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“This is an education ministry’s project and there is no need to bring the matter up to the Cabinet and the Dewan Rakyat,” he said when questioned by Rosmah’s lawyer Jagjit Singh.
The lawyer repeatedly questioned Mahdzir’s testimony in court where he said that he had asked the ministry’s then secretary-general Alias Ahmad to come up with a backup plan as he was not confident that the contractor, Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, would be able to supply and maintain a large-scale project.
Jagjit: You failed to exercise your duty as the education minister? You ought to inform it to the Cabinet and the whole country.
Mahdzir: I disagree.
The lawyer again accused Mahdzir of allegedly receiving kickbacks from Jepak Holdings’ managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin but Mahdzir strongly denied the claim.
On questions related to whether Mahdzir did not comply with his ministry’s guidelines when he issued a letter of intent to Jepak Holdings for the solar project, the former minister said the defence had asked him about the matter several times.
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Mahdzir repeatedly said he merely followed instructions from former prime minister Najib Razak to issue the letter.
Jagjit then said Mahdzir was an “inconsistent witness”, to which Mahdzir replied: “Is that what you want?”
Mahdzir also told the court that during the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigations into the solar project, the authorities did not seek a remand order against him.
Lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader then asked if Mahdzir was investigated for allegedly receiving a RM50,000 bribe but trial judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan reminded the defence that similar questions had been asked several times.
The hearing continues.
Rosmah is facing three counts of corruption charges, for allegedly soliciting RM187.5 million from Saidi as an inducement to help the company secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project and Maintenance and Operation of Genset/Diesel for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, worth a total of RM1.25 billion through direct negotiations with the education ministry.
She is also accused of receiving bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from Saidi between 2016 and 2017. -FMT