I am not used to people shouting at me, Najib's wife Rosmah tells judge

KUALA LUMPUR • Rosmah Mansor, wife of Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak, has complained to the judge in her corruption trial that she is not used to being shouted at.

Her remarks on Thursday came after an exchange of words between her and lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram over a voice recording in which she is alleged to have chided Najib and offered her advice.

Rosmah is charged with soliciting RM187.5 million (S$61 million) in bribes and receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings' former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin relating to a RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project in Sarawak.

Under questioning by the prosecution, Rosmah denied knowledge of the voices heard in the audio clip.

The infamous recording, known as the "Can I advise you something" clip, was played in court briefly when the prosecution wanted her to identify the voices in it.

"No, I cannot confirm because there is no scientific investigation done on that (clip)," she said.

Datuk Seri Sri Ram said several witnesses, including former education minister Mahdzir Khalid and Rosmah's former aide Rizal Mansor, had testified in court that those were the voices of Rosmah and Najib.

"And you're supposed to believe them?" Rosmah shot back.

This caused Mr Sri Ram to stop his questioning. He told her that "if you're going to quarrel with me", he would ask the court to give an order for her to answer his questions.

Rosmah then said she was not quarrelling with the prosecutor and that she would answer his questions.

It was at this point that Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, who was presiding over the case, suggested that Rosmah listen to the questions.

"Yang Arif, he (Sri Ram) shouted at me. I am not used to people shouting at me," she said in response to the judge.

She had earlier dismissed the recording as "utterly rubbish" when asked by the prosecutor if its contents were true.

The prosecution had said in February last year that Rosmah, despite not holding any official position, exerted her influence in the Najib administration with her "overbearing nature".

On Jan 8 last year, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) released a series of nine audio recordings of high-ranking officials, including Najib, alleging a "criminal conspiracy at the highest level".

The MACC alleged that another recording was of Rosmah and Najib, in which she was heard expressing her displeasure over the agency's investigations.

On Thursday, Mr Sri Ram also suggested to Rosmah that she was merely distancing herself from the audio clips because they clearly showed her asking her husband to make a public appointment.

She disagreed with the suggestion.

The hearing continues.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK