BERSATU Youth (Armada) chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman was to have read from a prepared script at a press conference yesterday, one almost exactly like those given to others who left the party recently.

He was supposed to criticise Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and challenge the 92-year-old former prime minister to a debate.

He was to have said that Dr Mahathir only wanted to promote his son, Mukhriz.

“They said they will prepare everything. I just had to read it. I would have to then challenge Dr Mahathir and Mukhriz to a debate and if they didn’t agree, I would do a ‘Nothing to Hide’ forum,” Syed Saddiq told The Malaysian Insight in an interview last night.

“They” refers to those working for Prime Minister Najib Razak and when asked if he would show the script at the press conference, the 25-year-old said: “That’s for us to find out if things unravel in a specific way”.

Syed Saddiq yesterday revealed that he had been offered RM5 million by a senior Najib aide to study at Oxford University on a RM400,000 scholarship. The offer also included funds to start debate schools around the country, which he would lead. 

He was to have held the press conference at the Seri Pan Pacific Hotel, next to the Umno headquarters in the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

He held the press conference as scheduled, but turned the tables on those who made him the offer with his expose.

Prior offers

In his interview, Syed Saddiq said this was not the first time he had been offered a scholarship to pursue graduate studies at Oxford.

Last year, after Oxford had offered him a scholarship worth almost £70,000 (RM392,000) to study public policy, he said a politician came to offer him more money to pursue his studies.

“The first time, a politician came to see me was around June 2016 and offered me RM500,000 to continue my studies. 

“The second time he came with a businessman between November and December 2016,” he said.

“That was when it was suggested that I would be given RM5 million in grants for the debate schools I wanted to start.

“Last Wednesday, they met me again and said this was the final window. They knew that classes at Oxford begin next week and I must either accept the offer or the deal’s off.”

A first tranche of RM500,000 would be paid to him after the press conference, he said, and the remaining RM4.5 million would be paid in the form of grants for the debate schools he wanted to start.

Syed Saddiq wanted to start debate schools in his home state of Johor and other parts of Malaysia a few years back when he was still a law student.

“They said the schools could be started by my friends and I could take over the operations after I completed my graduate studies in Oxford.”

The offer, however, did not require him to quit Bersatu and join any other party, he said.

Syed Saddiq said he did not accept the offer immediately but turned to his close friends and parents for advice.

“Most of them said that I should take up the offer and go. But I hadn’t decided yet.”

The International Islamic University law graduate said he only decided to reject the offer after sending out the press invitations on Sunday afternoon.

“But I did not tell anyone what I decided. Not my parents and not my friends. Not even the Bersatu leaders.

“I was also told not to take any call or see anyone after sending out the invitations. They had wanted me to stay in Seri Pan Pacific but I turned them down and stayed at home instead.”

Who are ‘they’?

During the press conference, Syed Saddiq said those who approached him were sent by an aide close to Najib.

But when pressed during interview to identify the people who approached him, Syed Saddiq said he could not reveal this information now.

“When I asked who had sent them, one of them gave a name linked to the prime minister. But I have never met the person before.”

Syed Saddiq named the aide during the press conference yesterday. The Malaysian Insight is attempting to verify this and have sent questions to the aide’s press officer. The press officer has not answered The Malaysian Insight’s queries.

Syed Saddiq said he has audio recordings of the conversations and “other” proof that the offer did take place.

“But I can’t share it now. I will only share the evidence if I am threatened.” – October 3, 2017.