Syed Saddiq maintains innocence, explains sources of income

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman says he cannot understand why ministers should accept bribes with the salaries and allowances they are getting.

PETALING JAYA: Former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has maintained his innocence over a probe by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into some RM250,000 missing from his home.

The PPBM Youth chief also explained his sources of income when he was a minister, which included monthly salaries and allowances.

He said he earned RM55,000 monthly as a minister and Muar MP, and received other allowances totalling RM70,000 for annual vacations, RM180 for daily food and drinks, and RM10,000 to move house.

He also received one-off payments amounting to RM42,000 for dining sets and RM150,000 after he was dismissed as minister.

“Until now, I still do not understand why there is any need for ministers to take bribes. High pay, high allowance, and not even including the one-off payments received,” he said in a statement today.

Syed Saddiq also said he had never given any contracts to parties when he was a minister, adding that all contracts were given through the tender evaluation committee.

He said he had practised an open tender system for all contracts, and was one of the first few ministers to declare their assets.

He also asked why he would lodge a police report on the missing cash if it was really linked to bribery and corruption.

The MACC earlier today ordered Syed Saddiq to declare his assets as part of its probe into the missing money, with a source saying the anti-graft agency is investigating the case under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act related to gratification and bribery.

Last month, Syed Sadiq and two others were questioned at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya, with the former minister asked to hand over bank documents to assist in the probe.

MACC launched the investigation following a complaint related to the loss of the cash belonging to Syed Saddiq.

He lodged a police report on March 29, saying the money had been kept in a safe box at his home.

He also said only a few people knew the combination code for the safe, which he last opened on March 13 or 14. - FMT