KUALA LUMPUR – Muda co-founder Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman today lambasted the “stale political tactics” used against his party, after several photographs of people consuming alcohol wearing T-shirts with the party logo emblem surfaced online.
The Muar MP in a Facebook post last night denounced accusations that the alcohol seen in the viral pictures was purchased using money proceeds meant for flood relief efforts.
“I believe such cheap and stale tactics are of those who are desperate. If they really want to make an issue go viral, why not mention the abuses and the people’s money being stolen?
“Mention issues about corruption and about using public funds for self-gain. Those are the issues that need to be brought up, not what people eat and drink.”
He said his party has been transparent with the expenditure from contributions received from the public, which he said has been used to assist more than 5,000 affected families with aid worth around RM3.2 million.
“Muda did not use proceeds from donations to buy alcohol. This is the most bizarre accusation.
“Muda is an open book. All contributions are 100% channelled towards the flood victims.”
He added that he had made public the party’s cash flow and even transaction receipts related to flood relief funds during a press conference last week, and how every transaction is recorded and will be audited.
He said Muda is a multiracial party, founded on the concept of being tolerant, and that no law was broken by those seen drinking in the viral photos.
“This is a multiracial party. It is not an offence for them to be drinking unless they are driving.
“We respect their rights and they respect our rights. That was their personal right (to drink).”
He then urged all to instead assist flood victims by joining Muda at their flood relief command centre.
Hello YB @SyedSaddiq . Ini ke orang muda yang dibanggakan Parti Muda boleh menggegar dunia??? Minum besar ea geng @partimuda . Guna duit crowdfunding ke???? pic.twitter.com/1NyDHTWGmB
— Shawal (@shwsyz) January 4, 2022
His statement was in response to a tweet that showed a group of people seated around a table drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. However, the location of where the photos were taken or if the people are party members remain unclear.
It was pointed out how at least two people seen in the photos were in Muda T-shirts, and suggested that drinking alcohol was part of party norms. – The Vibes, January 5, 2022
