Rosmah trial: Prosecution witness says Najib gave explicit orders to expedite solar hybrid project to Jepak Holdings

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 ― The former general-secretary for the Education Ministry (MoE) testified today that she had received orders from Datuk Seri Najib Razak to speed up the process of granting the RM1.25 billion hybrid schools project to Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Tan Sri Madinah Mohamad told the High Court today she received minutes from Najib dated December 1, 2015 which came attached with a Jepak Holdings letter dated November 23, 2015 which had the words: “Agree to implement the new system and cancel the old”.

Madinah said she recognised the handwriting and signatures in the minutes as belonging to Najib as she had seen his handwriting on many occasions during her tenure as secretary-general from June 13, 2013 till September 2, 2016.

“In said letter, Najib instructed Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid to replace the existing Gensat diesel system with the new solar hybrid system proposed by Jepak.

“I’m saying this because Najib always uses the term Bersetuju dilaksanakan (agree to execute) in his minutes to indicate his instructions to implement something that he agrees upon,” Madinah told the High Court today as the sixth witness in the ongoing corruption and bribery trial.

“If Najib approves of the company the term sila pertombangkan will be used in the letters and minutes. In my experience, such minutes that have ‘agreed’ or ‘please consider’ are standard instructions from Najib,” added the 63-year-old.

Madinah is giving her testimony because she was working with the MoE at the time the contract was given out and any company wanting to handle such a huge project would need her approval.

Madinah said that despite receiving directives from Najib and the Finance Ministry (MoF), they did not matter to the MoE as it could not implement nor grant the project to one company without vetting it first.

She said the MoE is responsible for ensuring said company is able to fulfil the contract before granting the tender to them.

“All existing rules must be followed by the MoE as we are responsible for making sure the companies we hire are capable of doing the job.

“If they can’t do it, we are duty bound to inform the one who told us to grant the project (that the company is incapable of handling the project),” added Madinah.

The trial resumes on Monday with Madinah and former education minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid scheduled to take the stand.