Witness: Rosmah said more money needed due to political situation
ROSMAH TRIAL | Rosmah Mansor in early 2016 said "the current political situation required a lot of money", claimed a witness during her solar hybrid project corruption trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.
Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd business partner Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah testified that Rosmah told this to him and Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin during their meeting at her residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur between January and February 2016...
ROSMAH TRIAL | Rosmah Mansor in early 2016 said "the current political situation required a lot of money", claimed a witness during her solar hybrid project corruption trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.
Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd business partner Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah testified that Rosmah told this to him and Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin during their meeting at her residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur between January and February 2016.
Rayyan, who is the 15th prosecution witness, was testifying on an alleged discussion on the percentage of sumbangan (contribution) for former premier Najib Abdul Razak's wife to help Jepak secure the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project involving 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
Rayyan testified that Rosmah said those words following Saidi’s alleged offer for the contribution to be 10 percent of the RM1.25 billion project.
"Saidi had offered 10 percent from the value of the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project as a contribution to Rosmah.
"Rosmah then answered by saying 'the current political situation definitely requires a lot of money’ and 'we see first (kita tengoklah nanti)'," he testified on what was told to him and Saidi during the alleged 10-minute meeting.
Rosmah is facing three charges pertaining to the alleged misappropriation of funds for the supply and installation of solar energy at 369 rural schools in Sarawak for the Education Ministry.
The project was valued at RM1.25 billion and awarded to Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd through direct negotiation.
During examination-in-chief conducted by deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam today, Rayyan said he and Saidi were introduced to Rosmah by her then aide Rizal Mansor (below) at her residence between January and February 2016.
While reading out from a written witness statement, Rayyan claimed that Rizal had helped arrange the meeting with Rosmah, after the Education Ministry allegedly having not responded to Jepak on its bid for the solar hybrid project.
Rayyan testified that he and Saidi had a few days earlier (before allegedly meeting Rosmah) met Rizal at Lygon Bistro at Sunway Putra Mall, Kuala Lumpur, between January and February 2016.
Rayyan claimed that it was during this time that Rizal had agreed to convey to Rosmah regarding Saidi’s request for her help to give support for Jepak’s bid.
“Rizal advised us to make an offer to Rosmah of a contribution between 10 to 15 percent of the value of Jepak’s solar hybrid project.
“However, Rizal had asked Saidi to begin the offer starting with 10 percent first so that we could ‘negotiate’ and stop at 15 percent of the project’s value,” Rayyan claimed.
Rayyan testified that even though Rizal did not take part in the discussion between him, Saidi and Rosmah at her residence, the witness claimed that Rizal was sitting in the same living room where the alleged exchange took place.
The witness told the court that following the midday meeting with Rosmah, he and Saidi had then met Rizal again at the same bistro on the same day, with Rizal allegedly telling the duo that the contribution to Rosmah needed to be at 15 percent or RM187.5 million.
Rayyan claimed that Saidi had replied that the amount was too high as he (Saidi) needed to “look after a lot of people”.
The witness said that Rizal had then replied that he (Rizal) would try to check on that, while asking from Saidi to pay him (Rizal) RM5 million a year over a five-year period, as part of the deal. The witness testified that Saidi had agreed to this by saying “okay”.
“The next day, Rizal contacted me via telephone and said that the contribution of 15 percent from the value of the overall value of the solar hybrid project, which is equivalent of RM187.5 million, is final and cannot be changed,” Rayyan said.
The witness also testified that Rizal had asked the former to convey this to Saidi, which he (Rayyan) did through a telephone call.
Proceedings before justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan will resume tomorrow morning.
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