KUALA LUMPUR: Dressed in a striking floral, red Baju Kurung, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was in no mood to take any prisoners as she started the first day defending herself against corruption charges that has seen her coming in and out of court since November 2018.
Often referring to herself as the former First Lady of Malaysia, Rosmah said she could not understand how she had ended up in the dock while her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor, who had originally been a co-accused in the case, was now a key prosecution witness testifying against her.
"I should be the one chosen as the crown witness testifying against him.
"It wasn't me who cut all these deals...it was Rizal. He was the one who admitted asking for RM25 million and receiving RM500,000 and other amounts from all these people.
"On the other hand, I never asked for or received anything. However, despite all this he is let off scot free while I am the one standing accused," she said while testifying under oath from the witness stand in Bahasa Malaysia.
She is on trial for soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsuddin.
The bribes were allegedly given to her as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure a project to supply solar energy to 369 rural schools in Sarawak. She is accused of committing the offences between 2016 and 2017.
Touching on how Rizal had ended up working for her, Rosmah said the latter had actually been appointed as an assistant officer with special functions in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
However, he was later seconded as a media officer in the First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) division of the PMO.
"I want to stress here I never had any special aide or anything like that.
"Rizal used to work in TV3 as a corporate communications executive and that is why he was later put in the FLOM division," she said, adding his duties included churning out accurate and precise information about various programmes and initiatives.
However, Rosmah said despite his experience, Rizal turned out to be an absolutely incompetent officer who couldn't even write her speeches.
She said Rizal also lacked discipline and often disappeared from office while on duty.
"I was really unhappy with his work performance...I had to constantly monitor him to ensure he did not slack in his work," she said.
On Rizal's testimony that she was forever seeking media coverage for every programme she attended and to boost her image as the first lady of Malaysia, Rosmah said this was not true.
"As the wife of the prime minister then, I was always standing behind him.
"I never sought anyone's help to boost my image, popularity and reputation or people's perception of me. I am not a politician who needs to fish for votes.
"All that was required was for the FLOM office to ensure my activities and programmes were managed in a systematic and proper way," she said.
Rosmah said Rizal's testimony against her was nothing but slander aimed at getting the court to have a negative perception of her.
On Rizal's claim that Rosmah had given him a monthly allocation of RM100,000 to set up a team of cyber troopers in 2012, the accused said it was another lie against her.
"I was shocked when I heard him say that in court. It is absolutely not true and I deny such a thing happened.
"I was just the prime minister's wife and I did not get any salary, allowances or pension. The RM100,000 he mentioned is a lot of money and it is impossible for me to give such an amount to him on a monthly basis."
Rosmah said she believed Rizal had made up all the stories against her to cut a deal with the prosecution by becoming their main witness and for his charges to be dropped.
She lamented that Rizal's testimony was aimed at portraying her as an individual who was hated by the people, used to control the prime minister and that she was surrounded with corruption and misused public funds.
"Whatever it is, not a single shred of evidence had been adduced before this court to back his allegations.
"It is all nothing but slander and hearsay. I beg that this court will not entertain any of it," she said.
Rosmah later trained her guns on lead prosecutor in the case, Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram.
This happened when her lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader asked her about a question which Sri Ram had posed to Rizal during trial.
Akberdin: Do you remember how Sri Ram had asked Rizal about the purported 10 percent commission which was offered to you?
Rosmah: Yes.
Akberdin: Sri Ram had asked Rizal whether you chased him out of your house when he made the offer. Rizal said you did not. Can you explain why you did not chase him out of your house
Rosmah: As a Malay, Muslim woman brought up in eastern traditions I know the culture and society norms which we have to follow. I know Sri Ram brought up the same thing when the issue of political donations was brought up. I was the First Lady of Malaysia at that time and chasing someone away is not what people expect of me. Maybe that is what Sri Ram does to people that he does not like but that is not me. I consider Sri Ram's question as an insult to me. As a Malay, Muslim woman I would never embarass someone by chasing them out of my house.
Earlier, there were some light moments when Rosmah took to the stand and finished reading her oath to tell the truth.
Immediately after she was done the court interpreter approached her and asked for her personal details.
Rosmah then read out her full name before being asked to state her age.
To this, she said: "My age?...Allah!...by December I'll be 70. Not so young anymore. I am now a housewife."
Rosmah will continue with her testimony before High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan tomorrow.