KUALA LUMPUR – Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor today told the high court here that her marriage to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak would not have lasted 34 years if she truly is an “overbearing person”, as alleged by the prosecution.
Rosmah, 69, said the insinuations of the prosecution, especially senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, that she has an “overbearing nature” and “ability to influence decisions in the public sector” should not be taken into consideration by the court.
“If I am said to have ‘overbearing nature’ and ‘ability to influence decisions in the public sector’, it is certain that my marriage (to Najib) would not have lasted 34 years,” she said when reading out her witness statement on the second day of her defence trial on three corruption charges involving a solar hybrid project worth RM1.25 billion for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
Rosmah said she and her husband are normal human beings, just like other couples, and their conversations are private.
“I give my opinions and my husband listens, and vice versa. At times, my husband gives his views and I listen. Whether my husband accepts my views or whether I accept my husband’s views is secondary. It is a normal married life,” she added.
She was referring to an audio recording and transcript containing the infamous sentence “Can I advise you something?”, which was accepted as evidence in the trial.
“In the conversation, I never wanted my husband to follow my views, I just emphasised my views and feelings. That was all,” she added.
The audio recording, which was submitted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), is believed to be part of a conversation between Rosmah and Najib played by the prosecution during the trial when former education minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid testified.
Rosmah also denied having suggested that a consultation agreement be prepared to ensure that Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd keeps its promise to pay political contributions after securing the solar hybrid project.
Instead, she said, it was an idea put forward by businessman Lawrence Tee Kien Moon, who is the 20th prosecution witness.
Rosmah said her former aide, Datuk Rizal Mansor, lied when testifying that she (Rosmah) had several times reminded him to prepare the agreement.
“Rizal’s testimony does not make sense because the consultation agreement was later revoked because Jepak was given the solar hybrid project, which proves that I had nothing to do or had any interest in the project,” she added.
She also told the court that she had never helped Jepak get the any minutes from the prime minister regarding the letter of support for the company to get the solar project.
“All 11 minutes and the prime minister’s initials for Jepak were obtained by Datuk Aazmey Abu Talib and, strangely, he (Aazmey) was never called by the prosecution as a witness, nor offered to the defence,” she said.
On February 18, the high court ordered Rosmah to enter her defence on three corruption charges after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case against her.
Rosmah, 69, is charged with soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes of RM6.5 million from Saidi through Rizal as an inducement to help Jepak Holdings secure the solar hybrid project through direct negotiation with the Education Ministry.
The hearing continues tomorrow. – Bernama, October 6, 2021
