Better to criticise openly than sign SDs in secret, says Syed Saddiq

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman came under fire from some after raising the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal in the Dewan Rakyat during the recent Parliament sitting. 

But the Muda president says he will not stop bringing up issues concerning the people despite the criticism he took, including from among his own political allies. 

In an interview with MalaysiaNow, he said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) components were familiar with him and his stance on national issues. 

"Our stand should not change after we become part of the government – that is not right," he said. 

"It is better to speak openly in Parliament than to sign statutory declarations on the sly," he added, referring to recent rumours of a change in government.

Syed Saddiq, who was youth and sports minister under the PH government led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, entered the limelight early this month after submitting a proposal for an emergency debate on the LCS scandal.

His proposal was rejected by speaker Johari Abdul, who according to Syed Saddiq had said that the matter was neither of public interest nor of urgent need. 

The LCS project, which involved the construction of six offshore combatant vessels for the country's navy under the administration of former prime minister Najib Razak, prompted an investigation into its overall management after it was revealed that not a single ship had been delivered despite billions spent. 

Syed Saddiq's attempt at a debate was heavily criticised by PKR Youth, which accused him of "moving the goal post".

It also said that the matter should be taken into account in the evaluation of his party's bid to join PH.   

Syed Saddiq said he had chosen to remain loyal to PH since the days of the Sheraton Move despite being offered a ministerial position and later threatened. 

"Maybe people will say that Muda is a wolf in sheep's clothing, but they forget that if this was so, I would have long succumbed to threats or accepted the rewards offered," he said.  

"If I rejected all of that, why would I suddenly want to become someone else?"

This is not the first time that Muda and PH, particularly PKR, have found themselves at odds. They previously locked horns over the distribution of seats for the Johor state election in March 2022. 

Muda and Selangor PH are currently in talks about cooperation ahead of the state polls due within the coming months. 

Syed Saddiq said many of the voters in his constituency of Muar supported his stance on bringing up the LCS issue in Parliament. 

"If you don't want to be consistent after the election, that's your business," he said. 

"I want to be consistent. This is an issue that is close to my heart as my own grandfather served in the navy until his retirement."