SYED Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will lodge a police report that threats have been made against his family by the people who had offered him RM5 million to leave Bersatu.

The Bersatu Armada (Youth) chief said his first stop will be at a police station where he will also seek advice on his options regarding the offer he received to ditch his party and afterwards criticise the chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and challenge the 92-year-old former prime minister to a debate.

“I was under no pressure to lodge a police report but I will have to do it now to protect my family since I have made public the threat,” Syed Saddiq told The Malaysian Insight today.

“After seeing the police, I will decide whether or not to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). I will have to discuss the move with my lawyers.”

Social media users and politicians have urged the 25-year-old youth chief to file a report with the MACC following his press conference yesterday. Syed Saddiq had said then that he would file a report the next day or the day after that  as he was still in discussion with his lawyers.

In an interview with The Malaysian Insight yesterday, Syed Saddiq had said he was approached three times since June last year to take up a scholarship offer to pursue graduate studies at Oxford University.

He said after Oxford had offered him a scholarship worth almost £70,000 (RM392,000) to study public policy, 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 he offered me RM500,000 to continue my studies. 

“The second time he came with a businessman sometime between November and December 2016.

“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 was off.”

However, the threats to his family were the last straw, prompting him to turn the table on those who offered him money to leave the country before the 14th general election.

He refused to go into details about the threats beyond saying that they were of exposure and of a personal nature.

“They tried to get to people close to me because they know that money alone would not change my mind.

“They threatened to expose something about my parents or my brother. It doesn’t mean that my family has done anything illegal but the threats were very personal,” said Syed Saddiq.

He conceded that although the offer was not illegal, he had audio recordings and other proof that it did take place. 

Earlier, he told Malaysiakini that he had since been in contact with Dr Mahathir and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.

“I talked to Tan Sri (Muhyiddin) yesterday and to Tun (Mahathir) today. They have been immensely supportive,” Syed Saddiq said. – October 3, 2017.