RM100,000 deposited into Syed Saddiq's account, court hears

The Kuala Lumpur High Court was yesterday told that RM100,000 of the RM120,000 transferred out from the account of Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise (ABBE) as instructed by Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman had not been used for the 14th general election (GE14).

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Nurul Hidayah Kamarudin said investigations showed that the Muar MP instead deposited the RM100,000 into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) account through two transactions in June 2018.

According to the 28th prosecution witness, Syed Saddiq instructed Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was then assistant treasurer of Bersatu’s Youth wing, to transfer a sum of RM120,000 from the ABBE account into his personal Maybank account through four transactions on May 8, 11, 12 and 21 in 2018 to be used for the GE14 campaign. 

To a question from deputy public prosecutor Mohd Afif Ali on the source of the money deposited into the ABBE account, Nurul Hidayah said it was from the sales proceeds of the wing's souvenirs, T-shirts and fundraising receptions.

Afif: On the fundraising reception, did you investigate how many such events were held?
 
Nurul Hidayah: Two receptions were held on April 7 and 8, in Muar, Johor and Hotel De Palma in Ampang. Both were held during the day. 

Afif: Where did the proceeds from these events end up? 

Nurul Hidayah: It was deposited into the ABBE account. 

During the afternoon proceedings, meanwhile, the atmosphere turned a little tense when lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, representing Syed Saddiq, raised his voice when cross-examining the witness because she did not answer some of the questions.

Nurul Hidayah had disagreed with Gobind’s suggestion that there were welfare activities carried out by political movements in Muar.

Gobind: Why don’t you agree that it exists? Have you met Amsyar (the individual said to have managed Syed Saddiq’s political and personal finances)?

Nurul Hidayah: It was not me who recorded his statements. 

Gobind: So, it wasn’t you who met and asked him (Amsyar)?

However, the witness kept mum when repeatedly asked by the lawyer to answer the question. 

Gobind: Answer me, Puan Nurul Hidayah (with a raised voice). So, the truth is you don’t know do you? As an investigating officer, you failed to fully investigate the case.

Nurul Hidayah, however, continued her silence. 

Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged as the then Bersatu youth chief, entrusted with the control of Armada funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim with CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.

He was also charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.

He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities through two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

The trial before judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid continues on Aug 3.