Syed Saddiq (left) arriving in court for his trial on July 4. – Bernamapic
KUALA LUMPUR: A former exco member of Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) was not lying when he testified against Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, but was afraid of being charged for another case, the High Court here heard on Monday (July 4).
Abdul Hannaan Khairy, 29, said his testimony that the Muar Member of Parliament asked him to "backdate" a quotation date and receipt amounting to RM250,000 in relation to Armada souvenirs was true.
However, he said 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 Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin during the trial of Syed Saddiq, who faces four charges related to 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 alter the dates on the two documents if Syed Saddiq had not asked him to do so.
Earlier, during cross-examination by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo representing Syed Saddiq, the witness admitted he was in fear when testifying in court on Monday.
Gobind: Why are you afraid, has the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) asked you about other cases?
Abdul Hannaan: Yes.
Gobind: You are afraid of being accused of other cases?
Abdul Hannan: Yes.
Gobind: You are willing to testify (in court), in return you are not charged in another case.
Abdul Hannaan: Your Honour, can I go to the toilet?
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid told the witness to answer the question first, and Abdul Hannaan replied "Yes."
Abdul 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 MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.
"I left Southville City at 11pm to fetch him (Muhammad Saufi) and arrived there at around midnight. When I entered the MACC lobby, I couldn't call him and waited for him to come out. While I was waiting in the car, two or three MACC men ran towards me and asked me to get out of the car,” he said.
Asked by Gobind why the MACC arrested him, the witness replied: "In relation to the loss of RM250,000."
According to Abdul Hannaan, he was also questioned about a car he bought in early 2020 and was worried that action would be taken by the MACC regarding the purchase.
He added that the car was returned to him a year after it was seized by the MACC.
The witness said he was also disappointed with the treatment by MACC officers during the interrogation of his wife, which he claimed included insulting her with abusive words.
He added that a police report was lodged to protect himself from being threatened by outsiders.
On the first charge, Syed Saddiq, 29, is charged as Bersatu’s youth wing or Armada chief at the time, being entrusted with control of its funds, of abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, Armada’s assistant treasurer at the time, with CBT involving RM1mil.
He is alleged to have committed the offence at CIMB Bank Berhad, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, here on March 6, 2020, and is charged under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years with whipping, and a fine, if found guilty.
For the second charge, he is accused of misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Berhad account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.
Syed Saddiq is accused of committing the offence at Malayan Banking Berhad, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya here, between April 8 and 21, 2018, and charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a minimum jail term of six months and a maximum of five years with whipping, and also punishable by a fine, if convicted.
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 Berhad account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputra account.
Syed Saddiq is accused of committing the offence at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.
The trial before Azhar continues on Tuesday (July 5). – Bernama
