THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today was told that former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was put under political pressure to support the government led by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin two years ago.

Syed Saddiq’s mother, Shariffah Mahani Syed Abdul Aziz, 62, said she felt the pressure her son was under when questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) during a probe into her son’s case.

“The MACC officers told me ‘wouldn’t it be better if my son just followed the current government (Perikatan Nasional) so that my husband and I would no longer be investigated?’

“As a mother, I love my son and know all his sacrifices. When my son does not follow the current political flow, he is already a victim of politics. Syed Saddiq also advised us (my husband and I) to be vigilant and always be patient if questioned by the MACC,” she said.

The witness said this when cross-examined by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo on the first day of the Muar lawmaker’s criminal breach of trust and money-laundering trial. 

Meanwhile, Syed Saddiq’s father, Syed Abdul Rahman Abdullah Alsagoff, said he also knew about the political pressure his son was facing.

“I think my son was investigated for not giving support to the current government at that time. I know my son has high integrity and I advised him to maintain his honest stance,” he said when cross-examined by another lawyer representing Syed Saddiq, Haijan Omar.

Earlier, when reading out his witness statement, Syed Abdul Rahman said on March 30, 2020, he had received a call from Syed Saddiq saying the money in the safe had gone missing.

“I want to explain here, out of the RM250,000, about RM70,000 is my money. The money was given to Syed Saddiq for the renovation of the family home in Elmina, Shah Alam and other housing needs.

“I do not know whether Syed Saddiq received political funds from any party and I only know that Syed Saddiq’s source of income is from being a lawmaker and a minister,” said the second prosecution witness.

Syed Abdul Rahman also confirmed that he did not know whether Syed Saddiq kept party money because he did not interfere in his son’s work.

Syed Saddiq is charged as the then Armada chief – who was entrusted with control of the wing’s funds – of abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, Armada’s assistant treasurer at the time, with CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.

He is alleged to have committed the offence at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020.

The offence, under section 406 of the penal code, carries a jail term of up to 10 years with whipping, and is liable to a fine.

For the second charge, the accused is alleged to have misused property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.

Syed Saddiq is charged with committing the offence at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.

The charge, under section 403 of the penal code, carries a maximum five years’ jail with whipping and is punishable by a fine.

He also faces two counts of engaging in money-laundering activities, namely two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

Syed Saddiq is charged with committing the offence at a bank on Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The charges were framed under section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum 15 years’ jail and a fine of not less than five times the amount or the proceeds of illegal activities.

The trial before judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid continues tomorrow. – Bernama, June 21, 2022.