No 'persecution' of Syed Saddiq, MACC man tells court

An investigating officer of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that the anti-graft body had never abused its power to persecute Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman in connection with the investigation into the disappearance of RM250,000 at the residence of the Muar MP.

Muhamad Khairi Muhamad Rodi, 33, said the investigation was to find the source of the RM250,000 that was reported missing at Syed Saddiq's residence, in addition to discovering if an offence had been committed under the MACC Act 2009.

According to the 23rd prosecution witness, any complaints and information received by the MACC would be investigated first. Due to that, he said, no specific section under the MACC Act was stated at the beginning of the complaint.

"I disagree that this investigation was to persecute Syed Saddiq because whatever complaints and information are received, we will proceed with the investigation. Hence, there was no selective investigation to persecute individuals in this case.

"I went to Syed Saddiq's house to get documents or information that could help my investigation at that time," he said during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin at the trial of the Muar MP, who faces four charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering.

Khairi, who was investigating the loss of RM250,000, said he and several MACC officers had gone to the politician's house on March 31, 2020, at 5.45pm to conduct an investigation. At that time, he said, Syed Saddiq and his parents were at home.

During cross-examination by Syed Saddiq's lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, the witness also denied that he had deliberately "cooked up a case" against Syed Saddiq when no case could be filed against the politician.

When questioned by Gobind, Khairi said the complaint opened against Syed Saddiq under the MACC Act 2009 was general, but that the investigation had led to Section 27 of the MACC Act 2009 relating to false reports.

"A total of three investigation papers were opened involving Syed Saddiq's case, one of which, on the loss of RM250,000, was handled by me," he said.

He added that each investigation was carried out based on the instructions of superior officers and had to be reported to those in authority.

Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged as the then youth chief, entrusted with the control of Armada funds, with abetting then assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali with CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.

He was also charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.

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

The trial before judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid continues tomorrow.