Ex-education minister doubted company which got solar hybrid project

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid did not agree to Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd's proposal to handle the solar hybrid project in Sarawak, as he did not believe the company had the expertise needed for the work, the High Court heard on Thursday (Feb 6).

The former education minister, who is the fifth prosecution witness for Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's solicitation of bribery and graft trial, said that Saidi Abang Samsudin had approached him about the matter in 2015.

Mahdzir, 59, said that Saidi, who was the managing director for Jepak Holdings, asked whether he could send a proposal for the solar hybrid project to replace the diesel generator (diesel genset) project for the rural schools in Sarawak.

"From our conversation, I had the impression that Saidi wanted to take over the diesel genset project from the existing contractors with my help.

"I said no to Saidi's proposal at that time, as the Education Ministry was still bound to existing contracts.

"I also doubted Jepak Holdings' capabilities to carry out the solar hybrid project, especially one on a big scale such as this, involving 369 schools," he told the court.

He said that at that time, Saidi agreed with Mahdzir's decision.

He added that to his knowledge, Jepak Holdings was at that time involved in vehicle servicing business.

Mahdzir, who held the role from July 2015 to May 2018, said that on Dec 16,2015, however, he received instructions from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to carry on with Jepak Holdings' proposal.

The trial continues before High Court judge Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan on Monday (Feb 10).

On Nov 15,2018, Rosmah claimed trial to two charges of graft involving RM187.5mil related to projects to provide electricity to schools in Sarawak.

According to the first charge, Rosmah was accused of soliciting for herself a RM187.5mil bribe from Saidi Abang, through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor.

The money was a reward for helping Jepak Holdings obtain a project, through direct negotiations with the Education Ministry, to install solar hybrid systems and for the maintenance and operation of diesel generators for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

The project, known as ‘Project Bersepadu Sistem Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Hibrid’, was valued at RM1.25bil; and RM187.5mil is 15% of that amount.

Rosmah allegedly committed the offence at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall in Jalan Putra here between January and April 2016.

In the second charge, she was accused of receiving RM1.5mil from Saidi as a reward for assisting Jepak Holdings obtain the same project.

All of the charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.

Rosmah faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.