KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — Former education minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said he was merely following instructions from then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when releasing the letter of approval (LOA) for Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd to undertake the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid schools project.

Mahdzir, 59, said after initially refusing Jepak’s request to immediately released the LOA, due to pending due process from the Ministry of Education, he eventually caved into the prime minister’s request as he had to adhere to his wishes due to him being his superior.

Yesterday, Mahdzir said he was a stickler for rules and did not release the original LOA to Jepak as they had not fulfilled a lot of criteria and guidelines that existed under the Ministry of Education to warrant awarding them the entire contract.

Testifying in Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial today, Mahdzir was then accused by lead defence counsel, Datuk Jagjit Singh, of turning the other cheek when approving an amended LOA to Jepak as he was set to receive millions in bribe money.

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Mahdzir explained that he had reluctantly released an amended LOA, within hours of the issuance of the original document due to pressure from Najib as well.

However, Jagjit said Mahdzir was acting on his own as he was set to receive millions in bribe money.

Jagjit: Yesterday you said everything was done based on existing rules and guidelines. Now it is upside down and you’re saying we don’t need to follow the rules.

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Mahdzir: I was following orders that came from the prime minister.

Jagjit: So when following orders you forget about the rules and guidelines?

Mahdzir: Well these are orders.

Jagjit: Before the first LOA was released there was a committee to vet the tender. So why didn’t you go to the committee again when you were asked to release the second LOA?

Mahdzir: I was dealing with the director-general for the education ministry and Kamaruddin Abdullah. 

Jagjit: So why not go to the committee again or even resign if you weren’t happy with the outcome? Do you agree with me that you have breached the rules and guidelines here?

Mahdzir: I disagree. 

Jagjit: I put it to you that the only reason for whatever excuses you’re giving us is that you were upset with the way Saidi and Rayyan treated you and you signed the second LOA because you were set to receive RM1 million a month for five years.

Mahdzir: I disagree.

Mahdzir said he had signed and released the original LOA on November 10, 2016, and had given it to then Education Ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad and Asset Acquisition and management department head Kamaruddin Abdullah for further action. 

He insists he never received any bribes for his actions.

Later on the same day, Jepak Holding’s Managing Director Saidi Abang Samsudin and his business partner Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah had met with Mahdzir to air their dissatisfaction on a certain clause in the original LOA, where the Ministry of education had the power to terminate their contract or reduce the number of schools within the scope of the project. 

Mahdzir explained to the High Court that despite his best efforts he was being pressured by Najib’s office, Saidi and Rayyan to amend the LOA.

He refused to answer whether amending and subsequently approving the LOA and without going through the appropriate process under the Ministry of Education was acting outside the parameters of the law as he was only acting on orders from his superior.

“The PM told me to release the LOA immediately despite me trying to advise him against it,” Mahadzir explained.

Jagjit then asked Mahdzir why he did not take the matter to the Cabinet to which he said he felt it wasn’t necessary.