'Reps lobbying for contract belittled me but Najib kept silent'

ROSMAH TRIAL | Mahdzir Khalid said he had complained to then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak in 2016 about the behaviour of reps lobbying for a government contract but the premier had remained silent.

Testifying at Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor's corruption trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today, the former education minister said he had raised about the representatives from Jepak Holdings who were lobbying for a solar project for schools and had humiliated him when they were unhappy that he was not acceding to all of their demands.

The representatives were Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin and his partner Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, whom Mahdzir (above) believed had the backing of Rosmah.

"I had told Najib that Saidi and Rayyan from Jepak had gone overboard by belittling me as the education minister.

"I told Najib that Rayyan had accused me of failing as an education minister and that I will not be a minister for long.

"Rayyan had issued similar threats a number of times between July and October 2016.

"I also told Najib that the Education Ministry needed to follow procedures in dealing with Jepak for the solar hybrid project.

"Najib did not say anything after that as if endorsing what was said by Saidi and Rayyan," said Mahdzir under examination-in-chief by DPP Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam.

All Najib (photo) did, he said, was to ask that he proceed with the paperwork to grant Jepak the contract.

"Najib only ordered me to follow his instruction and issue the letter of award to Jepak immediately. I abided by his instruction."

Mahdzir said he signed the letter of award on Nov 10, 2016.

However, later that day, he said Saidi and Rayyan went to his ministry at Putrajaya as they were unhappy with a particular clause in the letter of award.

"The clause concerns the Education Ministry's right to revoke the contract or reduce the number of schools involved if any school is eventually linked to the electricity grid.

"Saidi and Rayyan asked that I instruct the Education Ministry to remove the clause," he said.

Mahdzir said he initially refused as it was according to the procedure but Rayyan stated "Do you want this to also go to Najib again", and subsequently contacted Rosmah's aide Rizal Mansor and passed the phone to him.

Mahdzir said Rizal had told him not to make things difficult.

"Rizal reminded me that the solar hybrid project was within 'ma'am's' knowledge and asked that I follow Jepak's request.

"I understood that 'ma'am' mentioned by Rizal means Rosmah," he said.

Mahdzir said he grew tired of having to deal with Saidi and Rayyan and was also under pressure from Rosmah and Najib, and eventually gave in.

Rosmah is facing three charges of soliciting and accepting bribes.

On the first count, she is accused of dishonestly soliciting RM187.5 million in gratification, which is 15 percent of the solar hybrid project value from Jepak to help them secure the government contract at a cafe.

On the second count, Rosmah is accused of dishonestly accepting RM1.5 million from Jepak's Saidi at her Jalan Langgak Duta home.

On the third count, she is accused of accepting another RM5 million from Saidi at her Jalan Langgak Duta home.

The case is being presided by Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan. - Mkini