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Rosmah trial: Witness tells court Jepak Holdings falsified solar hybrid project documents, says threatened for lodging complaint

Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd business partner Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah is pictured at Kuala Lumpur High Court on August 3, 2020. — Picture by Hari Anggara
Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd business partner Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah is pictured at Kuala Lumpur High Court on August 3, 2020. — Picture by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — Consultant Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah today testified in Datin Seri Rosmah’s corruption trial that he was threatened for making complaints against Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin for falsifying documents for the controversial solar hybrid project.

Rayyan told the High Court that he was not happy with several changes in the contracts and the technical aspects of it, which was done after the contract had been approved by all parties.

Rayyan said the proper usage of diesel to solar power was 30 per cent diesel to 70 per cent solar power which was written in the contracts.

The falsification of the documents changed the diesel figures to around 40 to 50 per cent which Rayyan said was bad for the government as they would now have to fork out more money for diesel usage.

Rayyan said he was not happy with these changes and wanted his partner Saidi Abang Samsudin to change them back.

“But he threatened me with his lawyers instead,” Rayyan said.

When the Ministry of Education (MOE) heard about the falsification of the documents they sent two show-cause letters to Jepak Holdings, one in September 2017 and the other in January 2018. Jepak did not respond to both letters.

Following that, Rayyan said the legal affairs department at MOE was told to make a police report on the matter. They left it to the secretary-general of MOE Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad to take action but Rayyan said Alias did nothing.

During cross-examination by defence counsel Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, Rayyan said the minister of MOE at the time also did not entertain notions of a police report.

Akberdin: So MOE did not want to lodge a police report?

Rayyan: Yes, even the minister.

Akberdin: So Mahdzir Khalid and Alias made the decision not to make a police report?

Rayyan: Yes, correct.

Akberdin: You felt disappointed with MOE for not taking action?

Rayyan: Yes. I pleaded with them. So I then decided to go to the public complaints department and meet its chief Datuk Harjeet Singh with all the documents in hand to pass them to him myself. He then handed me to Datuk Seri Azam Baki at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

Rayyan said he wanted to distance himself from the company when he found out so many wrongdoings were happening.

He told the Court he was never happy with the number of politicians whom his partner was giving out money to for helping them land the project. He said such sums should go to poor people.

Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is pictured at Kuala Lumpur High Court on August 3, 2020. — Picture by Hari Anggara
Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is pictured at Kuala Lumpur High Court on August 3, 2020. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Besides Rosmah, the others accused of getting gratuity money were Datuk Rizal Mansor (Rosmah’s personal aide), Pekan Umno division secretary Datuk Ahmad Aazmey Abu Talib, who helped Jepak get then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s minutes and approval for the project, and former education minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

Rayyan received RM1 million from Saidi for helping him with the project, but there was also a verbal agreement for an additional RM10 million if the project went through.

Rayyan never received the RM10 million but did get the RM1 million.

He said he was sad no works were being done for the schools and he was receiving a lot of calls from contractors and schoolteachers and people in the area who do not have 24-hour electricity.

“When he (Saidi) was giving money to people I always scolded him. I asked him is this how things work? That’s why most of the time when money was handed over, he won’t tell me about it,” said Rayyan.

“When I asked him about the project and voiced my unhappiness he said: ‘You’ve got your money so keep quiet.’

“There was a lot of fraud happening with the contractors as well and so I decided to distance myself from Jepak. Saidi threatened to not pay me my commission and did so through his lawyers.

“The rest of the officers who were involved also did nothing about the matter and at one point I received death threats as well. I have the recordings of it,” he added.

Rayyan said Saidi told him if he pulled back his complaint, he would give him the RM10 million but he was told to apologise as well.

“I decided not to withdraw the complaint and I told him he can keep the money. He even raised it to RM20-30 million but I refused to give in.

“I said I want to resolve this problem and then decided to report the matter to the authorities,” said Rayyan.

In this trial, Rosmah is facing several charges, including allegedly receiving a RM5 million bribe and a RM1.5 million bribe from Jepak Holdings and Saidi, on December 20, 2016 and September 7, 2017, in exchange for helping the company get the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project.

The trial before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan resumes tomorrow where Saidi will be taking the stands.

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