KUALA LUMPUR – Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor told the high court today that she became a target for criticism on social media when her husband, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, became prime minister.
During the cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, she said she was not given the title “First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM)” but it was there for administrative purposes, reported Free Malaysia Today.
“I am not sure if Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali or my mother-in-law, Tun Rahah Mohamed Noah, held the title,” she was quoted as saying.
She added that she was not given an office in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Earlier, she had said she was “prepared to sacrifice myself for my husband” on criticism hurled at her on social media.
“I had to take it because I am the wife of a politician.”
Rosmah was ordered by the high court on February 18 this year to enter her defence on three corruption charges.
She is charged with soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes of RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd’s former managing director, Saidi Abang Samsuddin, through her former special officer, Datuk Rizal Mansor, as an inducement to help Jepak Holdings secure the hybrid photovoltaic solar system integrated project and maintenance and operation of genset/diesel for 369 rural schools in Sarawak worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiation from the Education Ministry.
For the second charge, Rosmah was alleged to have dishonestly received for herself RM1.5 million from Saidi for the same purpose at her residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, on September 7, 2017.
Rosmah also faces a third charge of accepting gratification of RM5 million from Saidi through Rizal for helping Jepak Holdings secure the same project on December 20, 2016, at her Seri Perdana residence in Putrajaya between January 2016 and September 2017.
Hearing before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues on October 21. – The Vibes, October 7, 2021
