KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 ― Umno's Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid who was the former education minister, has been summoned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters and will face corruption charges this week, a report said.

Mahdzir, who is also Umno vice-president, is expected to be charged in court this Friday with corruption, news portal Malaysiakini reported.

The portal reported that the criminal case against Mahdzir is linked to a solar hybrid power project to supply electricity to schools in rural Sarawak.

The report said Mahdzir was to be expected to be called in to the MACC headquarters on Thursday.

Sources confirmed with Malay Mail that Mahdzir will be questioned on Thursday, and indicated the likelihood of his being charged this Friday.

At the time of writing, Mahdzir could not be contacted.

Mahdzir was previously reported to have given his statement to the MACC on October 16 in relation to the power project for Sarawak's rural schools.

Mahdzir, who is currently the MP of Padang Terap in Kedah, was education minister from July 2015 to May 2018.

On November 15, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor were charged with corruption for asking and receiving bribes from a company to ensure that it gets the project directly from the Education Ministry.

The duo were alleged to have asked for bribes from the company to the tune of RM212.5 million or about one-sixth of a government contract’s RM1.25 billion value, and eventually receiving a total RM7 million in bribes. The offences were allegedly committed during the 2016 and 2017 period.

The project was for the supply of solar panel hybrid power systems and the maintenance and operation of diesel-powered generators for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.