KUALA LUMPUR: Muar member of parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman faced barrage of questioning at the High Court today.
The cross-examination, handled by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, saw the accused, who was also the first defence witness, at the receiving end of rapid-fire questions.
Wan Shaharuddin did not hold back in tearing up Syed Saddiq's statement, which was read under oath, from the witness box.
He opened the cross-examination by questioning Syed Saddiq about his relationship with his friends, who were called as prosecution witnesses previously.
However, things took a turn when Wan Shaharuddin said a huge chunk of Syed Saddiq's statement, relating to the RM1 million withdrawn from the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) youth wing (Armada), was a lie or an afterthought.
This was contended by the accused himself when he disagreed with the series of such suggestions.
Wan Shaharuddin: There needs to be paperwork, in order to withdraw RM1 million.
Syed Saddiq: Not true.
Wan Shaharuddin: It's among the biggest amount withdrawn.
Syed Saddiq: Not true. As far as I remember, there are other big amounts withdrawn such as during the Tanjung Piai by-election. I'm not sure of the amount, but it's a huge amount. There was no paperwork (for the withdrawal).
Wan Shaharuddin: I put it to you that you lied and you like to show off what you do to the public on social media.
Syed Saddiq: Not true.
Wan Shaharuddin: I put it to you, that the charges against you are not related to political vengeance.
Syed Saddiq: There are relations.
Earlier today, Syed Saddiq testified that he had never instructed anybody from Armada to withdraw money of huge amounts from the wing's bank account.
He said whatever discussion related to withdrawal would be known by his right-hand man at that time, the Armada information chief Ulya Uqamah Husamuddin.
He said there was a discussion in March 2020 regarding withdrawing money to be used for preparation to face the Covid-19 outbreak, Ramadan, and Hari Raya Aidilfitri preparations.
However, he was only informed that there was a certain amount of money that has been withdrawn for the use of assistance, as discussed.
He also said that he had no idea of the balance left in Armada's bank account at any time.
"The RM1 million sum was never discussed. In fact, the Armada G5 members (which includes himself, Rafiq, Ulya, and two others) only discussed matters of urgency to assist the people affected as a result of the Covid-19 epidemic and the celebration of the approaching festival.
"Following this, the G5 members instructed Rafiq to discuss with the wing's exco to get the amount necessary for the aid," he said.
He reiterated that he never, at any time, stated that the money or funds accumulated in Armada's bank account were the results of his efforts during his time as the Armada chief.
"I believe that money or funds that have been collected belongs to all Armada members for use of Armada.
"I deny that Armada's actions to assist are my efforts to gain political mileage. The assistance provided is reasonable and necessary considering the urgent situation at that time."
He also told the court that some Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers had threatened some of his friends and their partners throughout their investigation.
"My friends have been threatened so that they can give statements, as asked by MACC. My friends are involved in the MACC interrogation, and each has filed a police report (on this matter).
"Based on the conversation between me and the MACC officer named Ihsan, who handled my case investigation, it is obvious that the prosecution against me is politically motivated."
Syed Saddiq, 30, was charged with one count of abetting Bersatu's treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali with criminal breach of trust involving RM1million.