Thursday 28 Mar 2024
By
main news image

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 6): Former education minister Datuk Mahdzir Khalid told High Court today that he felt pressured by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to award a solar hybrid project to Jebak Holdings Sdn Bhd in 2016.

Mahdzir, who held the post between July 2015 and May 2018, said the wife of former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak instructed him to speed up the process of approval for the contract to Jebak.

He is the fifth prosecution witness in the graft case against Rosmah, who is charged with soliciting RM187.5 million from Jepak to secure for the company a solar hybrid energy contract for rural schools in Sarawak worth RM1.25 billion, and receiving RM6.5 million cash in bribes.

Reading out his witness statement, the former minister said he attended an open house event at the prime minister’s official residence on June 23, 2016, and before leaving, Rosmah said: “You tengok la projek solar Cikgu Aazmey. Cepatkan sikit” (Please take a look at Cikgu Aazmey’s solar project. Speed it up please.)

Cikgu Aazmey, he explained, referred to the Pekan Umno division secretary Datuk Ahmad Aazmey Abu Talib.

Mahdzir said he understood Rosmah’s message as being an instruction, given her influence and authority as wife of the former prime minister.

He said he learnt there was a “team” of people that were working to ensure the speedy approval of the project. They were Cikgu Aazmey,  Rosmah, her aide Datuk Rizal Mansor, as well as Jebak’s managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin and his partner Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah.

Throughout his witness statement, Mahdzir outlined the series of letters he received, instructing him to approve the contract.

“I was initially approached towards the end of 2015 by Saidi, who I have known for a long time. He asked on the possibility of pitching for the solar hybrid project in Sarawak. However, I declined the proposal and told him that the ministry was already committed to an existing project implementing genset diesel to schools there,” Mahdzir said.

However in December 2015, he then received a letter from Najib, instructing him to replace the old system in the 369 schools and to implement the solar hybrid project by Jebak. The contract for the existing genset project was until Dec 31, 2016.

Mahdzir said he was reluctant, as it was not a straightforward process to cancel the existing contract and it would be against the administrative processes practised. However, he settled to approve for a pilot project for a selected number of schools instead.  

“Rizal then called me to express dissatisfaction over why I only chose to grant a pilot project, when the prime minister had already approved replacing the old system with a new one. He also said that “Mam” knew about the project and I believe he was calling me on behalf of her,” the witness said.

The witness added he also received a message from Rayyan questioning him: "Why is it so hard to do? You already have been instructed by the prime minister. If you don’t follow the prime minister’s order, you will not keep your job for long".

Mahdzir said he received more letters in June 2016 from the prime minister’s office, instructing him to implement the project. However, it could not be implemented as speedily, as there were many processes needed to be followed in order to issue a letter of award.

In November 2016, Mahdzir said he approached Najib after a cabinet meeting and wanted to advise the prime minister to hold off on awarding the letter to Jebak, as there were many procedures to follow.

“Najib did not listen to my advice and further instructed me to act on his orders,” Madhzir said.

The trial resumes next Monday (Feb 17).

      Print
      Text Size
      Share