ROSMAH Mansor told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that her corruption charges were the result of a conspiracy between the prosecution and witnesses, including her former aide, Rizal Mansor, whom she described as “incompetent”.

The wife of former prime minister Najib Razak said several of the witnesses named in her witness statement had conspired with the prosecution to get her framed over the awarding of the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project to Jepak Holding Sdn Bhd. 

However, she could not provide details on how they conspired when cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram. 

The witnesses are former education minister Mahdzir Khalid, former education minister secretary-general Dr Madinah Mohamad and her successor Alias Ahmad, Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin and Rizal, her former aide.

Asked by Sri Ram if she had quarrelled or had any disagreement with the witnesses, Rosmah said no.

Asked about the motive these witnesses might have had to want to “concoct” false statements to frame her, she replied that the prosecution should direct the question to the witnesses instead. 

Defence lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader then pointed out that Sri Ram’s line of questioning was unfair.

Akberdin said Rosmah was being made to answer questions she has no personal knowledge of and that Sri Ram’s questions were a matter of opinion.

Sri Ram then called out the names of each of the prosecution team’s eight members and asked Rosmah if she ever had any disagreement with any of them. She answered no to each.

On her former aide, Rizal, Sri Ram suggested that Rosmah’s claim of conspiracy between him and the prosecution had no basis, to which she disagreed.

Rosmah then said she did not have a close relationship with Rizal and described him as an “incompetent” employee. 

She said Rizal, who was her media officer in the First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) division under the Prime Minister’s Department, could not prepare proper speeches and could only write “basic” ones.

Sri Ram continued to press his point that Rosmah and Rizal were close, asking how the latter obtained his Datuk title, and whether Rosmah played a part in helping him secure it through the Pahang government.

Rosmah replied that she had only mentioned his (Rizal’s) name.

Sri Ram: You know Rizal got (a) datukship?

Rosmah: I know.

Sri Ram: You know who recommended it?

Rosmah: Not me. He submitted the application. He asked me about it and I just mentioned his name. I pitied him. 

Sri Ram: Very kind of you. Well, it looks like your suggestion was accepted. 

Rosmah: Maybe because I was the wife of the prime minister then. 

Rosmah faces three corruption charges, one of which is for soliciting RM187.5 million as inducement to help a company secure a RM1.25 billion contract to equip 369 schools with solar energy.

She is also accused of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million in 2016 and 2017. 

She also told the court earlier today that she had to bear the brunt of attacks on social media while her husband was prime minister.

“I was prepared to sacrifice myself for my husband. I had to do it because I am the wife of a politician, more so Najib,” she said. 

“If you get married to a politician, you have to get used to things like this.”

She told the court that Najib once told her that the criticism was actually aimed at him but she became the “soft target” on social media. 

The trial will resume on October 21. – October 7, 2021.