My marriage to Najib wouldn't last 34 years if I was overbearing - Rosmah
Rosmah Mansor denied the prosecution’s claim that she was of "overbearing nature", saying that her marriage to former premier Najib Abdul Razak would not have lasted 34 years otherwise.
During her corruption trial today linked to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project, the accused testified that it is up to Najib whether to accept her views...
Rosmah Mansor denied the prosecution’s claim that she was of "overbearing nature", saying that her marriage to former premier Najib Abdul Razak would not have lasted 34 years otherwise.
During her corruption trial today linked to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project, the accused testified that it is up to Najib whether to accept her views or otherwise, just like any other married couple.
Making reference to the prosecution’s contention that she tried to influence Najib when he was prime minister, Rosmah claimed that she had never directed her husband to follow her views, and that she was also open to his views.
Rosmah was also referring to an audio recording (P36) that the prosecution tendered during her trial previously, which was allegedly on her conversation with Najib.
“If this is what is said to be my ‘overbearing nature’ and ‘ability to influence decisions in the public sector’, my marriage to my husband would not have lasted 34 years; if it is true that I am an ‘overbearing person’ as intimated by the prosecution.
“In any event, the conversation in P36 does not in any way touch on the solar hybrid project,” she said, dismissing the allegation as not verified, untrue, and cannot be considered by the court.
In the prosecution’s opening statement on the first day of trial in February last year, lead deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram contended that Rosmah, being the wife of former prime minister Najib, had occupied no official position, but wielded considerable influence by reason of her overbearing nature.
Rosmah, 70, is facing three charges under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.
In the first charge, she is accused of soliciting RM187.5 million in bribes from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd to help secure an Education Ministry project.
The RM1.25 billion project was intended to supply power to 369 rural schools in Sarawak using a combination of solar and diesel energy.
In the second and third charges, she is accused of receiving RM1.5 million and RM5 million in bribes respectively as a reward for securing the project.
A clear lie
Meanwhile, during proceedings before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, Rosmah denied that she had ever asked for or received bribes of RM5 million and RM1.5 million between 2016 and 2017.
(Yesterday, during proceedings, she had denied knowing or having solicited RM187.5 million in bribes.)
The accused today denied having received, through Rizal, RM5 million while at Seri Perdana on Dec 20, 2016, as well as RM1.5 million at her residence at Langgak Duta on Sept 7, 2017.
In regard to the RM5 million, Rosmah dismissed as a clear lie the testimony by Rizal Mansor (who was alleged to be her former special officer) that he had ever given her the money or (that she) had even asked for it.
“I wish to state here with a clear heart that I have never received RM5 million that is supposedly given by PW17 (17th prosecution witness Saidi Abang Samsudin), through PW21 (21st prosecution witness Rizal) to me, via two luggage bags, at Seri Perdana on Dec 20, 2016.
“This is an accusation that is untrue and humiliated me maliciously.
“Furthermore, the accusation by PW21 that the two luggage bags were handed over to two butlers and then handed to me at Seri Perdana is purely slanderous,” she contended.
In relation to the RM1.5 million, she denied as untrue previous testimony that Saidi brought two black bags with orange stripes to her house, opened them in front of her, and counted the alleged money in them before her.
Rosmah referred to a testimony by 16th prosecution witness Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah (who was Saidi’s then business partner), who, during cross-examination by her legal team, admitted that Saidi never put the two bags before her and declared these were RM1.5 million meant for the solar project, among others.
“It is clear from the meeting that I do not know that PW17 (17th prosecution witness Saidi) brought two black bags with orange stripes.
“PW17 also never gave directly to me the two black bags with orange stripes that supposedly contain RM1.5 million. I have never seen or been shown the bags as alleged,” the accused testified.
Proceedings before Zaini will resume tomorrow morning.
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