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Former Bersatu Youth wing exco says no lies in Syed Saddiq testimony

However, Abdul Hannaan Khairy says he was afraid of being charged in another case.

Bernama
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Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman arrives at the Kuala Lumpur court complex today. Photo: Bernama
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman arrives at the Kuala Lumpur court complex today. Photo: Bernama

The former exco of the Bersatu Youth wing told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that he was not lying when testifying against Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, but was afraid of being charged in court in another case.

Abdul Hannaan Khairy, 29, said his testimony that the Muar MP asked him to “backdate” the quotation date and receipt amounting to RM250,000 in relation to the wing’s souvenirs was true, although he did not remember the exact “backdated” date.

“I was not lying but I was afraid of being charged in court,” he said during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin at the trial of Syed Saddiq, who faces four charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering.

The 10th prosecution witness said he would not have asked Muhammad Naqib Ab Rahim, who was then a member of Bersatu, to “backdate” the dates on the two documents if Syed Saddiq had not asked him to do so.

Earlier, during cross-examination by Syed Saddiq’s lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, the witness admitted to being afraid when testifying in court today.

Gobind: Why are you afraid, has MACC asked you about other cases?

Hannaan: Yes.

Gobind: You are afraid of being accused of other cases?

Hannan: Yes.

Gobind: You are willing to testify (in court), in return you are not charged in another case.

Hannaan: Your Honour, can I go to the toilet?

However, judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid asked Hannan to answer the question first, and Hannaan replied, “Yes.”

Hannaan, who is now the editor of Serius Kool Media Sdn Bhd, said he was arrested by the MACC on June 4, 2020, after receiving a phone call from Muhammad Saufi Yusof to pick him up from the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.

“I left Southville City at 11pm to fetch him (Saufi) and arrived there (Putrajaya MACC) around 12 midnight. When I entered the MACC lobby, I couldn’t call him and waited for Saufi to come out. While I was waiting in the car, suddenly two or three MACC men ran towards me and asked me to get out of the car,” he said.

Asked by Gobind why MACC arrested him, the witness replied: “In relation to the loss of RM250,000.”

According to Hannaan, he was also questioned about the Volkswagen car he bought in early 2020 and was worried that action would be taken by MACC regarding the purchase of the car.

He added that the car was returned to him after a year of being seized by the MACC.

The witness said he was also disappointed with the treatment given by MACC officers during the interrogation of his wife, whom he said had been insulted with abusive words.

He added that a police report had been lodged to protect himself from being threatened.

Syed Saddiq was charged as Bersatu’s then Youth chief, entrusted with the control of the wing’s funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, the wing’s assistant treasurer at the time, with CBT of RM1 million.

He was accused of committing the offence at CIMB Bank, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020, charged under Section 406 of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a whipping, with the possibility of a fine upon conviction.

For the second charge, Syed Saddiq was accused of misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.

He was accused of committing the offence at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018, and charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between six months and five years, with whipping and a fine upon conviction.

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

Syed Saddiq was accused of committing the offence at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, 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, punishable under Section 4 (1) of the same law, which provides for a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or the proceeds of illegal activities, upon conviction.

The trial before Azhar continues tomorrow.