Syed Saddiq never claimed to be victim of political conspiracy, says witness
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer told Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s criminal breach of trust and money laundering trial that the Muar MP had never suggested during investigations that the complaints made against him were part of a “political conspiracy” against him. Syahmeizy Sulong told the…
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer told Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s criminal breach of trust and money laundering trial that the Muar MP had never suggested during investigations that the complaints made against him were part of a “political conspiracy” against him.
Syahmeizy Sulong told the High Court that Syed Saddiq did not make any such claim when MACC first recorded his statement in 2020.
“My investigation only focused on the aspect of CBT under Section 405 of Penal Code since he (Syed Saddiq) was the one who instructed (the withdrawal of RM1 million from Bersatu’s bank account),” he said.
The officer was responding to a question by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on the matter after the defence suggested the existence of a “political conspiracy” to frame Syed Saddiq on several occasions.
Syahmeizy testified that a total of five investigation papers (IPs) were opened against Syed Saddiq, including one into the RM1 million withdrawal. However, he did not disclose which other offences the Muar MP was probed on.
According to the officer, part of the proceeds was eventually recovered in the course of investigations.
“(Of the RM1 million withdrawn) we managed to seize over RM425,000 from Daniel (Kusari) and Naqib (Rahim) during the investigations,” he added.
Prior to this, Naqib, a tailor and Bersatu member, and Daniel, the then Federal Territories Bersatu Youth information chief, had testified that they received RM250,000 and RM650,000, respectively, from star witness Rafiq Hakim Razali in April 2020.
Rafiq told the court that Syed Saddiq instructed him to disburse part of the RM1 million Bersatu funds in late March 2020.
Asked by deputy public prosecutor Asyraf Mohamed Tahir why Syed Saddiq did not sign the cheque himself, Syahmeizy said, “Investigations showed that (Syed Saddiq) did not sign the cheque as he changed his signature frequently.”
Why didn’t MACC probe Muhyiddin?
Under cross-examination, Syahmeizy denied a suggestion by counsel Gobind Singh Deo that MACC had practised double standards by failing to probe party president Muhyiddin Yassin on the alleged breach of Bersatu rules on withdrawal of funds.
Syahmeizy went on to claim that he did not know of a conversation between his colleague, referred to as “Ehsan”, and Syed Saddiq. Ehsan is alleged to have claimed that MACC was being used by the government of the day as part of a conspiracy against the Muar MP.
The witness also denied that MACC had protected Muhyiddin by not probing him on the matter.
“My investigations only focused on the RM1 million,” Syahmeizy said. “I am ready to investigate if my superiors give me the orders.”
Syed Saddiq is standing trial on four counts of CBT and money laundering. He is alleged to have misappropriated a total of RM1.12 million belonging to Bersatu.
From the amount, RM120,000 was said to be party funds for the 2018 general election, while RM1 million was allegedly withdrawn by him without the top leadership’s consent.
He also pleaded not guilty to the two charges of money laundering amounting to RM50,000 each.
The hearing before judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid continues.