I was not misled by Rizal Mansor, says witness

A consultant told the High Court here today that he was not misled by Datuk Rizal Mansor, when the former aid to Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor asked him to prepare a consultancy agreement for the solar hybrid projects for rural schools in Sarawak.

During cross-examination by Rosmah’s lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh, Tee Kien Moon, 51, also known as Lawrence said, Rizal’s behaviour was consistent from the beginning of the time he began requesting him (Tee) to draft the agreement.

Jagjit: I am putting it in totality, do you agree or not with me that based on your evidence in court, you were misled by Rizal in the role you were involved based on the perception that he was the special officer to Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Tee: No, I don’t think I was misled, his (Rizal) behaviour was consistent from the first time we met.

Jagjit: I put it to you that he (Rizal) was consistently misled you.

Tee: I am confuse.

Jagjit: I put it to you that he (Rizal) was not consistent, he’s consistently inconsistent. So, don’t justify for him.

Tee: I do not know.

The 20th prosecution witness however said he was unsure whether Rosmah played any role in instructing for the preparation of the agreement.

Tee was testifying in the trial of Rosmah, 68, the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who is facing one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings ex-managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.

The bribes were allegedly received through Rizal as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project, as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel gen-sets, for 369 Sarawak rural schools worth RM1.25 billion from the Education Ministry through direct negotiation.

The acts were allegedly committed at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall, Jalan Putra here; Rosmah’s residence at Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta and at Seri Perdana, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya between January 2016 and Sept 2017.

In his testimony yesterday, Tee who was appointed as a consultant for a company in Vietnam in 2016, told the court that he was told by Rizal on May 2016, that he has to prepare a consultancy agreement for the project for the supply and installation of solar panels to over 300 schools in Sarawak.

The witness said, Rizal told him that he had to prepare the consultancy agreement because ‘Mem’ that he later confirmed to be Rosmah, wanted him to do it, and he acceded to Rizal's request because Rizal was the special officer to Rosmah.

On a question by senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram during re-examination chief, whether he received payment from the agreement that he prepared, Tee who is also a businessman, said he did not received any payment.

Sri Ram: Did you received any money from the transaction in respect in which you made the agreement?

Tee: No, not a single cent.

The hearing before Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues tomorrow with Rizal expected to take the stand.

-- BERNAMA