KUALA LUMPUR – The high court here today postponed Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial in connection with the solar energy project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, as her MySejahtera status showed that she had close contact with a Covid-19 case.
Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan vacated tomorrow’s hearing after Rosmah’s counsel Datuk Jagjit Singh told the court that her MySejahtera status is orange.
“My client is present today and we told her to stay in the car to wait for your lordship’s decision on whether to continue the proceedings, or to vacate. Her husband’s (former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak) MySejahtera status is red,” the lawyer said.
Asked by Zaini on whether Najib is Covid-19-positive, Jagjit replied: “I am not sure, but I was informed his (MySejahtera) status is red.
Zaini said red means the person is positive for Covid-19, to which the lawyer responded that he is not sure.
Zaini said the court complex’s standard operating procedures only allow individuals with a blue MySejahtera status to enter the building, and will not allow those who had close or casual contact with Covid-19 cases into the premises.
“Even if I were to insist on her (Rosmah) entering the building, the security downstairs will not permit her to enter, so they can override me. This is a strict regulation that I have to oblige. Thus, I will vacate today and tomorrow’s proceedings,” the judge said.
He instructed the defence counsel to check and update Rosmah’s MySejahtera status, as the trial should be continued this Friday.
“This is a responsibility you have to take...you need to ensure your client updates her MySejahtera and inform the court on any latest developments. If her status is blue (low-risk), we will continue the trial on Friday,” he said.
Earlier, senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram told the court he had been informed by the defence counsel that Rosmah was in close contact with someone suffering from Covid-19.
“I leave it entirely to your lordship because we are ready to continue our cross-examination on Rosmah, but we are in your lordship’s hands,” said Sri Ram, who is also a former Federal Court judge.
Meanwhile, Zaini asked the defence to explain why Rosmah had failed to return from her Singapore trip by November 21, as ordered by the court in October.
“From what I read in the press, pursuant to the order that I had issued on October 15 this year, would you like to clarify? Because pursuant to the order that I had given, your client was supposed to return to Malaysia on or before November 21, and based on what I read in the papers, she did not come back on that date.
“But that, to me, is hearsay – I would like to hear from you, Jagjit,” the judge said.
Jagjit said there was a change in his client’s travel plans, considering the change in quarantine rules under the new Vaccinated Travel Lane between Malaysia and Singapore, and apologised to the court on behalf of Rosmah.
Zaini said a court order must be followed at all times.
“I understand the shift in government policy...my order, however, had not changed. There is no need for the order, if we allow it to be violated. You have been practising for at least 30 to 40 years...you ought to know better,” he said.
On October 15, Zaini allowed Rosmah’s application for the temporary return of her passport to enable her to go to Singapore to visit her eldest daughter, Nooryana Najwa, who had given birth to her second child.
Zaini said Rosmah must return to Malaysia before or on November 21, and the passport returned to the court before or on December 6 this year.
Rosmah, 69, is facing a charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two charges of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former assistant Datuk Rizal Mansor, as a reward for assisting Jepak Holdings to secure the RM1.25 billion project to equip 369 schools in rural Sarawak with solar hybrid power. – Bernama, December 8, 2021
