Syed Saddiq says taken to court because he did not support Muhyiddin

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman told the High Court today that he was taken to court because he did not support Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister at the time.

The former Bersatu Youth chief said the request for him to support Muhyiddin to avoid being charged in court was "wrong".

He said this during re-examination by his lawyer Gobind Singh Deo on the second day of the proceedings to defend himself against four charges of abetting criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property and money laundering.

Gobind: What do you mean when saying it's something ‘wrong’?

Syed Saddiq: It’s the request to support Muhyiddin Yassin (as prime minister). Even though I have nothing personal against him (Muhyiddin), but if that (act of supporting Muhyiddin) will stop the prosecution, it is wrong. This was informed (to me) by the investigating officer who investigated me and raided my house. He was with me every day when I was being questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). The investigating officer said, MACC is a ‘political tool’ whenever the government changes and I am a victim of political persecution. That is not right and I hope this is corrected.

Gobind: If you did not support Muhyiddin (at the time), you would be prosecuted, that is what you are saying? As far as you are concerned that is wrong?

Syed Saddiq: Yes, that is wrong.

At yesterday's proceedings, lawyer Haijan Omar referred Syed Saddiq to a transcript of an audio recording allegedly containing a conversation between the latter and a senior MACC official known as Ihsan.

In the transcript, Ihsan was said to be trying to persuade Syed Saddiq to support Muhyiddin, in addition to informing him that MACC became a "tool" whenever there was a change of government.

When questioned by Gobind, the former youth and sports minister said his testimony in court was true and not an afterthought.

Meanwhile, Syed Saddiq agreed with deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin that former Bersatu Youth assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali had transferred RM120,000 from a Maybank account in the name of Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise (ABBE) to his (Syed Saddiq’s) Maybank account.

Asked by Wan Shaharuddin whether it was Rafiq Hakim who transferred the money because he was the account owner of ABBE, Syed Saddiq replied, "Correct."

The Muda president also agreed that he had not shown any expense receipts for his 14th general election (GE14) campaign in the Muar parliamentary constituency to Rafiq Hakim and had not informed the latter that the RM120,000 was a reimbursement for campaign expenses.

When asked by Gobind why he did not show the receipts or inform Rafiq Hakim about the expenses for the GE14 campaign, Syed Saddig said Rafiq Hakim was not involved in his campaign and had only lent his account to deposit the RM120,000.
 
Syed Saddiq, 30, was charged as the then Bersatu Youth chief of abetting Rafiq Hakim, who was entrusted with RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing, in committing criminal breach of trust by misappropriating the funds at CIMB Bank, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2 on March 6, 2020.

He was also charged with misappropriating 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, namely two transactions of RM50,000 each believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic account to his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The trial before judge Azhar Abdul Hamid continues tomorrow.