Syed Saddiq discussed ‘setting narrative’ for missing funds - witness
Investigating officer Mohd Taufik Awaluddin told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today that a discussion took place in a WhatsApp group titled “Value Add”.
He claimed the missing money was initially...
An MACC investigator has testified that Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman had discussed how to shape public perception about the RM250,000 that ostensibly went missing from a safe in 2020.
Investigating officer Mohd Taufik Awaluddin told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today that a discussion took place in a WhatsApp group titled “Value Add”.
He claimed the missing money was initially described as discretionary funding but it was later portrayed as family money meant for home renovation.
“In the early stage, Syed Saddiq told the WhatsApp group that the money was discretionary funds he previously applied for, then he discussed with other group members what statement to be made to the media regarding the issue in order to stop public speculation regarding the money that went missing from the safe.
“At the end of the discussion in the WhatsApp group ‘Value Add’, Syed Saddiq agreed with the proposal by other group members and decided to issue a statement that the money originated from his parents as well as himself,” Taufik said.
He said during his re-examination that the forensic evidence was done based on the extraction of WhatsApp messages from the handphone of Rafiq Hakim Razali, the assistant treasurer of Bersatu’s youth wing.
The handphone was seized as part of the investigation of police reports lodged by Syed Saddiq (above) and his parents over the missing RM250,000.
On July 17, 2020, the MACC grilled the lawmaker for 11 hours over a report he made a few months earlier in March over the sum of around RM250,000 that he claimed was stolen from his home.
The Muda founder claimed that most of the missing money was to fund renovations for his house in Petaling Jaya. Of the missing sum, RM90,000 was said to have belonged to him, RM50,000 to his mother, and RM70,000 to his father.
It is understood that the prosecution’s current case against the accused is not over the RM250,000 but on separate monetary transactions.
However, the MACC officer explained that the current charges faced by Syed Saddiq were based on findings made by the anti-graft watchdog after an investigation was initiated over the missing RM250,000.
Defence counsel Gobind Singh Deo objected to Taufik’s testimony regarding the RM250,000, contending it has nothing to do with the present case and was only meant to tarnish the accused’s image.
However, the court told the defence to raise the issue during oral submission at the end of the prosecution’s case.
Proceedings before trial judge Azhar Abdul Hamid will continue tomorrow.
Charges of misappropriation from party
Previously at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, Syed Saddiq claimed trial to two charges of misappropriation involving RM1.12 million from Bersatu’s youth wing.
The former Bersatu Youth chief also pleaded not guilty to two counts of abetting money laundering, whereby each alleged transaction involved RM50,000.
According to the two abetment charges framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, he was accused of being involved in the transfer of the funds on two occasions on June 16 and 19, 2018.
On each occasion at Maybank Islamic Berhad, Taman Perling in Johor Bahru, he was alleged to have transferred RM50,000 from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account to his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.
The four charges were later transferred to the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
