Wife of jailed ex-Malaysia prime minister faces court verdict
Al JazeeraDec 23, 2022
Malaysia: Former First Lady Sentenced to 10 Years For Bribery
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Image copyright: Reuters [via CNN]
The Facts
On Thurs., the Kuala Lumpur High Court sentenced Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former PM Najib Razak, to 10 years in prison for seeking and receiving bribes in exchange for a government contract. Rosmah denied the charges.
She was found guilty on three counts of bribery in connection with a $279M solar power project in Borneo. Rosmah is said to have demanded $41.8M, and received almost $1.5M to help Malaysian company Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd win the contract.
The Spin
Narrative A
This decision delivers a strong message against corruption, which has been rampantly spreading through the fabric of Malaysian society. Rosmah took advantage of her position as first lady to damage the public interest and benefit herself. A failure to punish her would risk condoning this unacceptable and offensive crime.
Narrative B
This ruling has been improperly influenced by external, unauthorized individuals due to the online publication of a draft judgement a week before the presiding judge was due to deliver a verdict. The fact that Judge Zaini Mazlan wasn't disqualified from this case after the scandal and confusion surrounding this article shows that Rosmah did not recieve a fair trial.
