Mahdzir said that he had no pressing need to ask for money from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.
“I was only instructed by (then prime minister) Datuk Seri Najib Razak to approve the solar project for Jepak Holdings. There was also pressure from several individuals in ‘Team Saidi’,” he said, referring to the purported group comprising Saidi, Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, Rosmah, Rizal Mansor and Ahmad Aazmey Abu Talib.
Mahdzir said he knew about Rosmah’s involvement in the purported “Team Saidi” after Saidi told him that the members’ intervention were needed to speed up the project’s approval to Jepak Holdings.
He added that on one occasion, Rosmah had told him to expedite the solar project during a buka puasa event. The court had heard that Rayyan and Saidi had belittled Mahdzir and told the minister to just follow instructions from Najib in awarding the project to Jepak Holdings.
Mahdzir also said today that he was told to seek an exemption from the finance ministry after Saidi complained that the government had not made any interim payment to Jepak Holdings in July 2017.
Mahdzir said the government did not issue the payment to Jepak Holdings as the company did not provide sufficient documentation.
“Rizal met me two days after my meeting with Saidi at the education ministry’s office.
“He suggested that I write to Datuk Seri Najib to ask for the exemption so that the government can issue the interim payment to Jepak,” Mahdzir said.
Rosmah’s lawyer Jagjit Singh then questioned Mahdzir on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigation against him over claims that he had received RM50,000 as “expenses” from Saidi for his family’s vacation to London in 2015.
The lawyer also showed Mahdzir a news report in Nov 2018 that claimed Mahdzir would be charged in court after the MACC recorded his statement.
Jagjit: You sold your credibility and honesty to SPRM (MACC), so they would not prefer two charges against you?
Mahdzir: I disagree.
Asked if he was a member of the “gang of four” who played a part in having his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin removed from office, Mahdzir looked puzzled.
“I do not understand what is meant by the ‘gang of four’ and this is the first time I am hearing about it. So I do not agree with what you are suggesting,” Mahdzir said.
The hearing continues on Feb 11 before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.
Rosmah is facing three counts of corruption charges, for allegedly soliciting RM187.5 million from Saidi as an inducement to help the company secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project and Maintenance and Operation of Genset/Diesel for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, worth a total of RM1.25 billion through direct negotiation from the education ministry.
She was also accused of receiving bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from Saidi between 2016 and 2017.