My son was under political pressure to support PN: Syed Saddiq’s mother

KUALA LUMPUR – The high court here today was told that former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was put under political pressure to support the government led by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin two years ago.

Syed Saddiq's mother, Shariffah Mahani Syed Abdul Aziz, 62, said she felt the pressure her son was under when questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) during investigations into the charges against her son.

“The MACC officers told me, wouldn’t it be better if my son just followed the current (Perikatan Nasional) government so that my husband and I would no longer be investigated?

“As a mother, I love my son and know all his sacrifices. When my son does not follow the current political flow, he is already a victim of politics. Syed Saddiq also advised us (my husband and I) to be vigilant and always be patient if questioned by MACC,” she said.

The third prosecution witness said this when cross-examined by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo on the first day of the trial of the Muar MP, who faces four charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering. 

Meanwhile, Syed Saddiq’s father, Syed Abdul Rahman Abdullah Alsagoff, said he also knew about the political pressure his son was facing.

“I think my son was investigated for not giving support to the current government at that time. I know my son has high integrity and I advise him to maintain his honest stance,” he said when cross-examined by Haijan Omar, another lawyer representing Syed Saddiq.

Earlier, when reading out his witness statement, Syed Abdul Rahman said on March 30, 2020, he had received a call from Syed Saddiq saying that the money in the safe had been missing.

“I want to explain here that out of the RM250,000, about RM70,000 is my money. The money was given to Syed Saddiq for the renovation of the family home in Elmina, Shah Alam and other housing needs.

“I do not know whether Syed Saddiq has received political funds from any party and I only know that Syed Saddiq’s source of income is from being a member of Parliament and a minister,” said the second prosecution witness.

Syed Abdul Rahman also confirmed that he did not know whether Syed Saddiq kept party money because he did not interfere in his son's work.

According to the first charge, Syed Saddiq, 29, is charged as the then chief of Bersatu’s youth wing or Armada – who was entrusted with control of Armada funds – of abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, Armada’s assistant treasurer at the time, with CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.

He is alleged of having committed the offence at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, here on March 6, 2020, and is charged under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which provides imprisonment for up to 10 years with whipping, and is liable to a fine, if found guilty.

For the second charge, the accused is charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.

Syed Saddiq is accused of having committed the offence at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya here between April 8 and 21, 2018, and charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a minimum jail term of six months and a maximum of five years with whipping and is punishable by a fine, if convicted.

He also faces two counts of engaging in money-laundering activities, namely two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

Syed Saddiq is accused of committing the offence at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The charges are framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which is punishable under Section 4 (1) of the same law, which provides maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or the proceeds of illegal activities, upon conviction.

The trial before judicial commissioner Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid continues tomorrow. – Bernama, June 21, 2022