Syed Saddiq said Youth wing account money was his 'duit titik peluh' - witness

 

A Bersatu Youth leader told the Kuala Lumpur High Court this afternoon that he was ordered by then party wing chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to withdraw RM1 million from its bank account in March 2020.

Testifying at Syed Saddiq’s misappropriation trial, Bersatu Youth assistant secretary Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi said the order was given to him during a meeting at the MP’s house in Petaling Jaya.

“During the meeting, Syed Saddiq discussed with us (Redzuan and Bersatu Youth treasurer Rafiq Hakim) about the recent change of government and position of Bersatu Youth wing because Syed Saddiq was in the opposition bloc together with (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Syed Saddiq then ordered Rafiq Hakim and me to withdraw cash from Armada’s bank account. The amount he ordered Rafiq and me to withdraw was RM1 million,” he said.

Bersatu Youth assistant secretary Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi

Redzuan was testifying in a criminal trial against Syed Saddiq, who is facing two charges of misappropriation involving RM1.12 million from Bersatu Youth. Syed Saddiq was also charged with two counts of abetting money laundering.

According to the witness, Syed Saddiq wanted the cash withdrawn to strengthen his position in the wing.

This was because the MP was concerned if there would be a change of leadership in Bersatu Youth following the political development.

“Syed Saddiq said that the cash in the Armada Pusat CIMB account was ‘hasil titik peluh dia’ (the result of his hard work) in finding donations, and he was entitled to use the money,” Redzuan testified.

Redzuan said cash from the wing’s CIMB bank account can only be withdrawn using a chequebook and needs to be signed by two out of three designated trustees.

Both Redzuan and Rafiq were part of those named as trustees of the account.

The witness said he and Rafiq had conducted the cash withdrawal process on March 6, 2020, at CIMB Bank KL Sentral branch.

“When Syed Saddiq ordered Rafiq and me to withdraw the RM1 million from the Youth wing’s account, he did not tell us whether the decision had received approval from the party’s supreme council,” he said.

Redzuan testified that Syed Saddiq’s order was against Bersatu’s procedure, as any withdrawal of cash over RM500,000 must receive approval from Bersatu supreme council and be accompanied by the appropriate paperwork.

“Although I knew that it was against the procedures for cash withdrawal, I had to follow Syed Saddiq’s order given his position as the then Armada chief and Muar MP,” he said.

The trial will be continued tomorrow morning with cross-examination by Syed Saddiq’s defence team. - Mkini