Act against those who undermine integrity of our judicial system

DAYS before the High Court is set to deliver its judgment on Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s solar hybrid graft trial, a perception game was being played out to cast doubt on the judiciary’s integrity.

A blog operated by Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who is wanted by the authorities for posting various incendiary and false articles, published last Friday a three-page document that supposedly proved Rosmah had been prejudged guilty.

The blogger suggested in his posting, “Rosmah Mansor will be pronounced guilty on Sept 1 2022”, that the trial had been rigged.

For those who are familiar with the workings of the judiciary, it is clear that the court’s research department will write a draft for a case. The so-called Rosmah judgment is clearly a draft of the research.

It is also criminal that the draft of the research work has been leaked. There shouldn’t be a leak. It is sabotage and an attempt to cast doubt on the judiciary.

The police investigated the supposed leaked judgment after the head of the court research department filed a complaint.

According to the police, the document was not a draft of the verdict.

Sentul district police chief Asst Comm Beh Eng Lai said the complainant had clarified that the leaked document was a confidential internal report that was an initial draft prepared by the Research Unit in the High Court of Kuala Lumpur.

“The document was said to be the research work of the ongoing trial and are views expressed by the unit to the judge.

“According to the complainant, the document will be amended based on new research findings and further studies and is not a verdict,” the assistant commissioner said.

Rosmah was charged with three counts of corruption involving a RM1.25bil hybrid solar project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

She is accused of soliciting RM187.5mil through her former aide Rizal Mansor, as an inducement to help a company secure the solar project and of receiving bribes amounting to RM5mil on Dec 20, 2016.

High Court judge Zaini Mazlan is scheduled to deliver his decision on Rosmah’s corruption trial on Sept 1.

On Saturday, in an immediate response, the Federal Court Chief Registrar’s Office said: “This action was a deliberate act aimed at undermining the integrity of court operations and administration of justice. In this connection, a police report has been lodged.”

It stressed the judiciary would not be affected by illegal acts perpetrated to undermine the integrity of the country’s judicial system.

The authorities should take action on those who leaked the document as it is undermining the country’s judicial integrity.