AG’s silence in Syed Saddiq’s case proves arm-twisting by PN, says Guan Eng

 

Lim Guan Eng has criticised what he sees as the use of government machinery to go after political foes through corruption investigations and persecution.

PETALING JAYA: The silence over the delay in charging Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman with abuse of political funds proves Perikatan Nasional’s arm-twisting ways to get more support for the prime minister, says DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Lim said the attorney-general must also answer why Syed Saddiq was charged a few days before Parliament was slated to begin when the order to prosecute the former minister was made last August and in January.

Yesterday, Syed Saddiq was charged with misappropriating a total of RM1.12 million belonging to Bersatu Youth, which he formerly headed.

Lim condemned what he sees as the use of government machinery to go after political foes through corruption investigations and persecution “like the one Syed Saddiq is facing now”.

“The delay in filing one of the charges almost a year after the order to charge was executed by the AG is unprecedented against a public figure and an unusual exercise of the absolute discretion of the AG to prosecute.

“Failure to provide full public accountability would only lend credence to Syed Saddiq’s disturbing disclosure that he was threatened and intimidated by the PN government to support the PM or face the consequences,” he said in a statement.

Syed Saddiq took to social media last night saying it was impossible for him to misappropriate Bersatu’s money as, at the time of the alleged offence, the party had been deregistered for failing to submit documentation to the Registrar of Societies.

He was charged with withdrawing RM1 million from Bersatu Youth’s funds without the permission of the party’s supreme council and misusing RM120,000 in contributions for Bersatu’s 14th general election campaign.

Syed Saddiq has been allowed bail of RM330,000 in one surety on both charges. He has been ordered to surrender his passport to the court pending the disposal of his CBT case and report to the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office once a month.

He paid RM80,000 of his bail amount yesterday and will have to settle the remaining RM250,000 by next Tuesday.

He has started an online fundraising drive to pay the bail amount and his legal fees. - FMT