KUALA LUMPUR – A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation officer told the high court here today that Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman did not inform her of 10 campaign expenditures for the 14th general election (GE14) amounting to RM171,675, as submitted by the Muar MP to the Election Commission (EC).
Nurul Hidayah Kamarudin, 33, who was called back for cross-examination by the defence team, made the statement when asked by counsel Gobind Singh Deo, who is representing Syed Saddiq in his criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering trial before judicial commissioner Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid.
Gobind: Are you aware of the 10 items (expenditure) that Syed Saddiq had submitted to the EC, namely candidate deposit (RM10,000), campaign material deposit (RM5,000), election advertisement permit (RM200), election advertisement (RM50), PKR souvenirs (RM51,784), cost of accommodation (RM2,120), distribution and advertising (RM29,100), printing (RM69,491), photostat materials (RM750), and button badges (RM3,180)?
Nurul Hidayah: Don’t know.
During re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Asyraf Mohamed Tahir, the 28th witness said Syed Saddiq did not inform her of the expenditure declaration to the EC while recording the accused’s conversation.
“Syed Saddiq only told me to refer the expenditure document to Amshar (the individual said to have managed the Muar MP’s personal and political finances). However, Amshar denied managing the receipts of payment for GE14 in 2018,” she said.
Apart from Nurul Hidayah, two more MACC investigating officers were also called back to give their statements, namely Mohd Syahmeizy Sulong and Asbi Munip.
The prosecution today rested its case after calling 30 witnesses to testify and the court set October 6 and 7 for oral submissions by both parties.
Syed Saddiq, 30, is charged as the then Armada chief – who was entrusted with control of its funds – with abetting Rafiq Hakim with CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to the youth wing at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, here on March 6, 2020.
For the second charge, Syed Saddiq is alleged to have misused property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya here, between April 8 and 21, 2018.
He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering, namely for two transactions of RM50,000 each believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputra account at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018. – Bernama, September 27, 2022
