By Infamous Malaysian ex-First Lady Datin Rosmah Mansor was charged in Malaysian court again, this time for graft charges involving over RM187.5 million (S$6.1 million). Rosmah was accused of soliciting a RM187.5 million bribe from the managing director of Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, Saidi Abang Samsudin, via her aide Datuk Rizal Mansor. The bribe was a reward from the company for awarding them a major solar power project for rural schools in Sarawak.
Apparently, the project was awarded to Jepak Holdings through direct negotiations with the Education Ministry for installing solar hybrid systems in 369 rural schools in Sarawak as well as the operation and maintenance of diesel generators in those schools. The bribe amounted to about 15% of the total project value which stands at RM1.25 billion (S$410.1 million).
Next, Rosmah was also accused of receiving an additional RM1.5 million (S$490,000) bribe directly from Mr Saidi for assisting his company in obtaining the same projects.
Rosmah’s aide on the other hand, was charged with four counts of soliciting RM212.5 million (S$69.7 million) and receiving RM5.5 million (S$1.8 million) in bribes relating to the same project on behalf of Rosmah and himself.
Both Rosmah and Rizal pleaded not guilty on all charges. If convicted, however, Rosmah and her aide face maximum 20 years in jail and a fine of not less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher. Obviously, judging on the size of the grafts solicited and received, five times the amount of gratification will amount to a hell of a lot of money.
Bail was set for Rosmah and and her aide at RM1 million each while Rizal was also asked to surrender his passport.
Earlier in October, Rosmah had been charged in the Malaysian Sessions court and pleaded not guilty on 17 counts of money laundering amounting to over RM7 million (S$2.3 million).