KUALA LUMPUR: The defence in Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's corruption case today accused two former top Education Ministry officials of conspiring with a company to cover up wrongdoings involving a RM1.2 billion project to provide solar energy to 369 schools in Sarawak.
Lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, accused former Education Minister Datuk Mahdzir Khalid and former ministry secretary general Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad of conspiring to cover up wrong doings and making his client to eventually become a scapegoat in the case.
He said Alias and Mahdzir had been in cahoots with Jepak Holding Sdn Bhd - the company awarded with the solar hybrid project, all the time.
However, Alias - who is the 12th prosecution witness in the trial, fended off accusations and at times got into mini arguments when with the lawyer while denying suggestions put forth to him by Akberdin.
Akberdin began by asking Alias why the Education Ministry failed to take any action against Jepak Holding for tampering with the solar hybrid contracts.
He accused Alias and Mahdzir of also failing to lodge a police report even though Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin had admitted to tampering with the contract during a meeting.
Alias, who is now a retiree, denied the accusation by saying that the ministry had come out with three solutions to resolve the issue.
He said this included initiating an internal investigation, amending the contact and lodging a police report.
Alias, however, admitted that eventually no police report was ever lodged on the matter.
Akberdin later tried to show the close rapport between Alias, Mahdzir and Saidin by producing two pictures of the trio together at a wedding reception.
Akberdin: I want to show two pictures where you attended a wedding reception together with Mahdzir.
Alias: No. It was my daughter's wedding… and yes, Saidin was there but I never invited him… he came with the minster.
Akberdin: I put to you, your witness statement is just a self-saving statement and you use my client (Rosmah) as the scapegoat.
Alias: I disagree.
Later, when re-examined by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib, Alias said the ministry did not proceed with any action against Jepak Holdings because the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) was already on the case.
Akram: When did you know about the tampering of the contact?
Alias: Early 2018. Between January and February.
Akram: When did the ministry decide to hold a meeting to discuss the issue?
Alias: Between March and April 2018.
Akram: No action was taken by the ministry against Jepak Holding?
Alias: As far as I know, none.
Akram: Why?
Alias: Because I was informed by my officer that MACC had seized all documents relating to the contract for its investigation.
Alias said there was no need for the ministry to initiate any sanction against Jepak Holding because the graft busters had initiated their probe.
The trial continues before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.
Rosmah is facing charges of soliciting RM187.5 million bribes and receiving a total of RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin in exchange for helping the company obtain the solar hybrid project.