Datuk Rizal Mansor, 46, turned star witness in her ex-boss Rosmah multi-million ringgit graft trial, said he was given RM100,000 per month to fund a team of cyber-troopers to defend her from online slander and negative news, reported by NST
“There [were] a lot of negative media reports against her on social media affecting her integrity, and her position as the prime minister’s wife,” he testified.
Those included her expensive handbags, the lavish wedding of her daughter Nooryana, her financial interests in some government projects, the use of government jets for unofficial business, as well as allegations that our former PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak was her puppet, and that she was the real PM.
Rizal said he was asked to form and manage a team of cyber-troopers in 2012. They were tasked to scrutinise social media content that gave a negative impression on her and the team will need to fending off and refuting slander or accusations against Rosmah.
Most of the statements posted on Facebook were approved by Rosmah. While some was his own initiative. She was so happy with his performance that she gave him a Datukship in 2014, he added.
Rosmah, 68, is fighting three corruption charges, namely soliciting a RM187.5 million bribe from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd and receiving payments of RM5 million and RM1.5 million from the company to ensure it obtained the solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
Rosmah was accused of committing the offences between January 2016 and Sept 2017.