Syed Saddiq Didn T Order Rm1mil Withdrawal From Bersatu Account Says Witness

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Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman is facing charges of abetting in CBT, misappropriation of assets and money laundering in relation to some RM1.2 million in funds linked to Bersatu Youth.KUALA LUMPUR: A defence witness told Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s corruption trial the former Bersatu Youth chief had not instructed its assistant treasurer, Rafiq Hakim Razali, to withdraw RM1 million from the party’s account.
Former Bersatu Youth information chief, Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, told the High Court today that this was what he told a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer on June 6, 2020.
Reading from his witness statement, the third defence witness said a meeting was held by the party’s top five youth leaders (G5) at Syed Saddiq’s home in Petaling Jaya in late February or early March, 2020.
Apart from Syed Saddiq and Ulya, others present were Rafiq, Syed Saddiq’s deputy Aizad Roslan, and assistant secretary Ahmad Redzuan Ahmad Shafi.
“The amount of money to be withdrawn would be determined after a discussion with other youth executive council members,” he said.
Cross-examined by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin, Ulya denied that his evidence in court contradicted the earlier statement made to MACC.
Wan Shahruddin then read out the statement to show Ulya had only said he did not know about any instructions Syed Saddiq had given to Rafiq regarding the withdrawal of the money.
Wan Shahruddin: I put it to you that you are lying in court.
Ulya: I disagree.
Wan Shahruddin then proceeded to read the statement and asked Ulya whether he would like to change his answer.
However, the witness stood his ground.
The prosecution’s case is that Syed Saddiq had ordered Rafiq and Ahmad Redzuan to withdraw RM1 million from the party’s account during a meeting in the accused’s home.
Wan Sharuddin then asked trial judge Azhar Abdul Hamid to admit the relevant portion of the MACC statement into evidence.
However, Syed Saddiq’s lead counsel, Gobind Singh Deo, objected, saying Wan Shahruddin was only entitled to make an application to impeach Ulya.
“They did not give us the statement earlier but are using it now. Such practice will always put an accused and the defence in a disadvantaged position,” he said.
After a short break, Azhar said he will accept the statement as evidence for now, but said parties could submit on its admissibility after the close of the defence’s case.
Re-examined by lawyer Tiara Katrina Fuad, Ulya said his answer to the MACC officer’s question was not related to what transpired in Syed Saddiq’s home.
“At the house, Syed Saddiq did not give any instruction, but beyond that, I do not know,” he said.
Syed Saddiq, 30, is charged with abetting Rafiq in committing criminal breach of trust (CBT) of RM1 million at CIMB Bank Bhd, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2 here on March 6, 2020.
He is also charged with misusing RM120,000 from the bank account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise for himself by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking Bhd in Taman Pandan Jaya here between April 8 and April 21, 2018.
He faces another two counts of money laundering involving two transactions of RM50,000 each, believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, transferred from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his ASB account at a bank in Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.
His defence on the CBT charge is that there was no provision in Bersatu’s constitution requiring him to get approval from its Supreme Council for the use of its funds.
On the RM120,000 misappropriation charge, Syed Saddiq said he secured the money by personally organising two fundraising projects held in Muar and Ampang.
The trial is adjourned to March 13. - FMT

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