The Malaysian High Court was told that the wife of former Prime Minister, Najib Razak was feared by senior Public Servants due to her reputation as a “fierce wife” who could influence her husband to take action if she was crossed.
However, a former aide to Rosmah Mansor (pictured) said this was merely the perception of the officers.
Rizal Mansor was giving evidence during Datin Seri Rosmah’s corruption trial where she is accused of graft involving a solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak.
Datuk Rizal said Datin Seri Rosmah was seen as the spouse who could influence the decision and actions of the country’s Prime Minister “in transferring Government servants who oppose or defy her requests to lesser positions”.
“In other words, they could be put in ‘cold storage’, or moved to places farther from where they lived,” Datuk Rizal said.
“This perception was gathered during my time mingling with Public Servants, and I do not believe it to be true and regard it as only rumours to ruin Datin Seri Rosmah’s reputation,” he said.
Datuk Rizal said as her special adviser he would always defend her image to these people.
Datin Seri Rosmah (69), is facing a charge of soliciting RM187.5 million ($A62 million) and two charges of receiving a bribe of RM6.5 million ($A2.5 million) from Jepak Holdings.
It is alleged she received the money for her part in helping Jepak Holdings secure Government contracts between January 2016 and September 2017.
The case is continuing.
Kuala Lumpur, 12 September 2020
