By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Sept 2: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s corruption conviction involving a RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project for 369 Sarawak schools including that of jailed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak shows that the change in government from Barisan Nasional (BN) to Pakatan Harapan (PH) has in effect brought about very important reforms to better the country.
PH Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, in welcoming the High Court’s ruling on Rosmah, emphasised that fighting corruption should be a top priority because it hurts not only the country and economy, but everybody.
“One good example is the solar power project for 369 Sarawak schools that not only hurt Sarawak but more importantly, our children who are left to study without consistent electricity supply.
“Ultimately, when there is corruption within the national and state level, the people lose out and here we have a live case involving our children, especially rural and school going children.
“They are supposed to have electricity supplied to all the schools by this year but because of Rosmah and the way BN has been operating, the basic amenities and facilities due to them were delayed.
“If this is not enough, then I don’t know what is,” he told a press conference after chairing the first PH Sarawak meeting at DAP Headquarters here today.
Chong, who is also Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman, thus pointed out that luckily there was a change in government in 2018 although only for a brief 22 months, without which these scandals involving national leaders and billions of ringgit would not have been exposed.
“Otherwise, Rosmah would still be happily shopping, while our rural schools are still without electricity.
“Due to the change of government, people are now seeing the effect of the reforms with Najib in jail and Rosmah going to jail,” he said.
With that, Chong, who is also Padungan assemblyman, urged people to stay strong with PH to ensure a long lasting and systematic reform required for the country to progress to greater heights.
“We cannot give up now because if we do, all the reforms initiated will be gone or discontinued and reverted to the old days. We have a lot of unaccomplished business and reforms to be implemented for the betterment of this country. We need people’s strong support to realise those reforms,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday sentenced Rosmah to 10 years’ imprisonment and imposed a record fine of RM970 million after she was found guilty of all three charges of corruption involving a RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project for 369 Sarawak schools.
Rosmah was found guilty of soliciting and receiving bribes totalling RM194 million in turn for offering a government project worth RM1.25 billion to supply energy to 369 rural schools in Sarawak. — DayakDaily
