Another ex-minister to face charges over solar panel project, says source
FMT Reporters
-November 27, 2018 10:36 AM
PETALING JAYA: Sources say a former minister is next in line to face charges of soliciting and accepting bribes in connection to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak.A source told FMT that the individual, who holds a senior party position in Umno and is still an MP, would be arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Thursday and charged in the Sessions Court on Friday.
“The person is said to have solicited money amounting to several million ringgit but finally received RM50,000 only,” said the source, who is familiar with the MACC investigation.
Both offences come under Section 16 (a)(A) of the MACC Act.
If found guilty, the individual could be jailed for up to 20 years and fined not less than five times the value of gratification for each charge.
The source said another suspect would also be charged with soliciting money from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.
On Nov 15, Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, was charged along with her former aide with receiving bribes in connection with the project.
Rosmah was said to have attempted to obtain RM187.5 million from Saidi between March and April 2016.
The amount was 15% of the value of the contract, said to be as an inducement to help the company obtain the project via direct negotiation from the education ministry.
Rosmah was also charged with receiving RM1.5 million in bribes from Saidi to assist him in obtaining the contract. The offence was allegedly committed on Sept 7 last year at her private residence in Taman Duta.
The solar project courted controversy when whistleblower website Sarawak Report alleged in June that Najib had ordered the contract to be awarded to Jepak Holdings, a transportation services company based in Bintulu.
Jepak Holdings was appointed at the end of 2016 for the supply of diesel and repair of generators, and to provide solar hybrid systems for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
To date, none of the schools have these systems.
Rosmah’s former aide Rizal Mansor, 44, was charged with two counts of soliciting and another two counts of receiving bribes from Saidi, in offences allegedly committed at a cafe in Sunway Putra Mall.
These include soliciting RM187.5 million on behalf of Rosmah between March and April 2016, as well as RM25 million from Saidi for himself as an inducement to ensure Rosmah would help Jepak Holdings secure the project.
Rizal was also charged with two counts of receiving a total of RM5.5 million from Saidi in December 2016, as reward for Rosmah in helping the company secure the project.
On Nov 15, former federal territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to two counts of receiving RM3 million from two property developers over land deals involving the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
On the first count, he was accused of receiving RM1 million from developer Tan Eng Boon, who was charged with giving the bribe and abetting Tengku Adnan.
On the second count, Tengku Adnan was charged with receiving RM2 million from businessman Cai Kin Kong through a cheque from Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd.
Najib and his former deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi are also facing charges of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
Former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman meanwhile has been slapped with 35 counts of bribery amounting to RM263 million.
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