Malaysia former youth minister Syed Saddiq says has no knowledge aides withdrew funds from Bersatu’s youth wing Armada
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman on Wednesday (Feb 22) has claimed that he had no knowledge that his former aides had withdrawn RM1 million (US$225,300) in funds from the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and its youth wing Armada.
On the first day of his criminal breach of trust (CBT) and misappropriation of funds trial, Syed Saddiq said that the withdrawal was made without his prior knowledge or consent.
According to a report by the Malay Mail, the then-chief of Armada asserted that he had not asked for the withdrawal to be made, claiming that the testimony by prosecution witness and former Armada treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali was fabricated.
“I unequivocally did not ask Rafiq nor the assistant secretary Ahmad Redzuan Ahmad Shafi to withdraw said RM1 million from Armada’s main banking account,” Syed Saddiq reportedly said.
Syed Saddiq, who is now the president of Malaysia United Democratic Alliance (MUDA), also accused Rafiq of meeting Bersatu’s top leadership - which he called G5 - to discuss how to withdraw RM1 million from Armada’s main bank without informing Syed Saddiq of his intentions.
“As such I emphasise here that I had never discussed with Rafiq or Redzuan separately from G5 to instruct them to take out RM1 million from Armada’s official accounts,” said Syed Saddiq, as quoted by the Malay Mail.
SYED SADDIQ SAYS HE’S PROSECUTED FOR NOT SUPPORTING MUHYIDDIN
At the trial on Wednesday, Syed Saddiq also told the High Court that he was prosecuted because he refused to support then-prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
According to Free Malaysia Today, Syed Saddiq said that an officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) told him that he would not face any problems if he supported Mr Muhyiddin.
The officer from the anti-graft agency, whom he identified as Ihsan, had allegedly told him that it was Mr Muhyiddin who brought him into Bersatu and that the Bersatu president still cared for him.
“I told the officer in the course of the MACC investigation that I will not (support Muhyiddin) as I have principles,” said Syed Saddiq, as quoted by FMT.
FMT reported Syed Saddiq as saying that he was stripped of his Bersatu membership as he refused to back Mr Muhyiddin, who was appointed the prime minister after the fall of the Pakatan Harapan-led federal government in February 2020.
Syed Saddiq was first charged with criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million from Bersatu in July 2021. He was accused of withdrawing the funds through a cheque without the approval of Bersatu's supreme council and was alleged to have committed the act on Mar 6, 2020.
He was also charged with misusing RM120,000 of donations for the 14th General Election (GE14) campaign, which was raised via a bank account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise. This offence was said to be committed between Apr 8, 2018, and Apr 21, 2018.
Syed Saddiq is also facing two counts of money laundering by engaging in two transactions of RM50,000 each believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities.
