Defence keeps alleging Mahdzir is corrupt.
10am: Wife of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, Rosmah Mansor enters the accused dock while waiting for the trial to begin.
Also seen in the courtroom is former education minister Mahdzir Khalid, who is set to continue giving his testimony as a prosecution witness.
10.10am: The proceeding begins with Mahdzir taking his oath and ready to be cross-examined by defence lawyer Jagjit Singh.
10.20am: The cross-examination on Mahdzir resumes with Jagjit pressing the politician with questions, where he suggested that Mahdzir was corrupt.
Among the claims Jagjit makes is that Mahdzir had allegedly agreed to award Jepak the project to supply hybrid solar system to 369 schools in Sarawak in exchange for kickbacks totalling RM60 million.
He put it to Mahdzir that the latter had purportedly minuted his agreement to the project after Jepak managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin agreed to pay Mahdzir RM1 million a month for five years.
Mahdzir, however, denies all the accusations put forward by Jagjit.
10.45am: Jagjit asks Mahdzir why he did not check with Rosmah directly when the latter’s then aide Rizal Mansor said he was representing the accused in dealings related to the solar project.
Mahdzir says that he believed Rizal as the latter had represented to him that he (Rizal) was speaking on behalf of Rosmah.
Jagjit: There is no excuse (not to contact Rosmah directly).
Mahdzir: Rizal was the one who told me (that he was representing Rosmah).
Jagjit: That is only an excuse, Datuk Seri. You are a corrupt minister. You asked for millions of ringgit…
Mahdzir: I disagree.
10.50am: Jagjit asks Mahdzir to bring details on his house ownership to court tomorrow.
This comes as Mahdzir says that he does not remember the name of the company.
It is understood that a house used by Mahdzir in Country Height is registered to a company.
Jagjit also asks the politician to bring the details of the company, including its shareholders and directors.
11.20am: The court takes a short break.
11.45am: Hearing resumes.
1pm: Jagjit accuses Mahdzir of making up stories when he implicated Rosmah in his testimony in the hybrid solar corruption trial.
The defence counsel makes the suggestion while cross-examining Mahdzir, telling the politician that he was actually trying to deflect from being held responsible.
Mahdzir, however, denies the allegation.
Jagjit: I put it to you that you implicated Datin Seri Rosmah’s name in order to deflect (the matter).
Mahdzir: I disagree.
Jagjit: I put it to you that you attempt to deflect the allegation against you, and you implicated Datin Seri Rosmah as mentioned in your evidence in Paragraph 91 (of your witness statement)
Mahdzir: I disagree.
In his witness statement, Mahdzir alleged that he was pressured into issuing a Letter of Award for the project to Jepak Holdings by “Team Saidi”, referring to Saidi.
He named Rosmah as among those in the team. The others he named were Rizal, and Pekan Umno division secretary Aazmey Abu Talib.
1.20pm: The proceeding sees Jagjit and Mahdzir having lengthy exchanges over the latter’s testimony, with Mahdzir saying he was only following orders from Najib when he issued a Letter of Award to Jepak Holdings in 2016.
This comes as Jagjit gives a series of questions to Mahdzir around the issue of whether he should effect the order he received from Najib without following existing government rules and procedures.
As Mahdzir keeps answering that he was only “following orders”, Jagjit continues to press him over the procedural requirement.
Jagjit: Although he (Najib) has the right to issue the letter, his rights are subjected to rules.
Mahdzir: PM gave me the order.
Jagjit: And we must follow both order and the rules?
Mahdzir: We just follow the PM’s order.
Jagjit: (Follow order) and also must follow procedures and rules. Do you agree or disagree?
Mahdzir: This letter is an order.
The exchanges continue for about 10 minutes, with another defence counsel Akberdin Abdul Kader also having to interfere and attempt to clarify Jagjit’s question to Mahdzir.
Akberdin tells Mahdzir that while orders need to be followed, there are also rules like the Treasury circulars that must be abided to in the process.
Mahdzir then agrees to this.
1.30pm: Jagjit once again accuses Mahdzir of being corrupt.
At this juncture, he asks Mahdzir if he had ever taken the hybrid solar project matter to the cabinet for discussion, as Najib still wanted him to issue a Letter of Award to Jepak Holdings.
The court heard earlier that Mahdzir was against this but testified that he did it anyway because of Najib’s minute ordering him to do so in November 2016.
Mahdzir then replies in the negative, saying that there was no need to bring the matter to the cabinet.
Hearing this, Jagjit then suggests to Mahdzir that he did not do so because he was embarrassed to bring such a matter to the cabinet.
Jagjit: When you told the Prime Minister, and the PM minuted to you like that, did you as a minister bring this matter to the cabinet?
Mahdzir: No, I did not. There was no need to bring it to the cabinet.
Jagjit: Did you or did you not bring it to the cabinet?
Mahdzir: No, I did not.
Jagjit: You said there was no need to, because you had taken a bribe. That was why there was no need to do that. You will be embarrassed if you take this to the cabinet.
Mahdzir: I disagree.
2pm: Proceedings are adjourned for the day, and will resume tomorrow morning.
Earlier reports:
Feb 11, Rosmah’s Defence Alleges Mahdzir Private Jets to Macau, Spore, Perth to Gamble
Feb 11, Rosmah’s Defence Lawyer Paints Ex-Minister Mahdzir as Corrupt
Feb 10, Rosmah’s Bribe Trial: Day Three
Feb 10, Ex-Minister Tells Rosmah’s Trial: I Wasn’t Bribed, Simply Followed Najib’s Orders
Feb 6, Rosmah’s Bribe Trial: Day Two
Feb 6, Driver Delivered Bags of Cash to Rosmah’s House
Feb 6, Rosmah Allegedly Pressured Ex-Minister to Award Project to Jepak
Feb 5, Rosmah’s Bribe Trial: Day One
Feb 5, Rosmah’s Lawyer Cries Intimidation over MACC’s Probe of Doctor Who Issued MC
Feb 5, RM6M Bribe in RM100 Bills
Feb 5, Rosmah’s Controversial FLOM Division Rebranded After Public Criticism
Feb 5, DPP: Overbearing Rosmah Wielded Considerable Influence