KUALA LUMPUR (July 25): A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commision (MACC) investigating officer (IO) probing the case of former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman on Monday (July 25) agreed that the funds at the heart of the second charge against him were for political campaign purposes, but did not verify the expenditures. 

During cross-examination by defence counsel Gobind Singh Deo, MACC IO Nurul Hidayah Kamarudin admitted that a sum of RM120,000 was used for political campaigning, and that she also did not go beyond requesting for documents while investigating the matter.

Gobind: If we investigate a purchase, for example, you can investigate the purchase [without documents], right?

Nurul Hidayah: Yes.

Gobind: The investigation doesn't have to be limited to documents only, you can verify the purchases.

Nurul Hidayah: Yes.

The witness said that she had requested documents and receipts from the MP but didn't receive any documents. However, when further pressed by Gobind on why she did not pursue the matter further and check the transactions herself, Nurul Hidayah admitted that she did not investigate the matter.

Gobind: Besides the document, can we investigate correctly? My question is did you investigate?

Nurul Hidayah: No.

Gobind: So if you didn't investigate, that means your investigations are not complete...

Nurul Hidayah: No.

Nurul Hidayah was the IO for the second charge against the Muar Member of Parliament, concerning the misappropriation of RM120,000 worth of party funds.

The funds were transferred from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise (ABBE) — a company set up to generate income for the party's wing through merchandise sales — to Syed Saddiq's personal bank account. 

During his cross-examination, Gobind highlighted that all state assemblyperson and parliamentarians are obligated by law to file their election expenditure to the Election Commission.

Gobind highlighted that Syed Saddiq had done just that, declaring that he had spent RM171,675 for his campaign.

Gobind: Syed Saddiq as the Muar parliamentary seat candidate had submitted a detailed breakdown of his expenditure with the original receipts.

Nurul Hidayah: I don't know.

Gobind: You don't know because you didn't investigate...Please answer my question, you don't know because you didn't ask.

Nurul Hidayah: I just focused on the RM120,000 from ABBE to Syed Saddiq's account.

Gobind: Surely in any election campaign, there will be expenditure right?

Nurul Hidayah: Yes.

Gobind: In this case, you don't have a single receipt, not one receipt.

Nurul Hidayah: The RM120,000 was not used.

Gobind: The same thing you have been saying for the past half-hour...

At one point of the proceedings on Monday, Judicial Commissioner Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid presiding over the trial also interjected, asking the IO to answer the questions posed to her and not circumvent them.

"You have a tendency to answer what you want to answer, not the question that is posed to you," he said.

During cross-examination on Monday, the IO also admitted that she did not speak to Syed Saddiq directly, but rather relied on statements of other witnesses.

Gobind: You are the IO and you didn't ask Syed Saddiq [about funds spent on elections]?

Nurul Hidayah: I asked.

Gobind: You said you didn't even see him...Did you ask him yourself?

Nurul Hidayah: I did not.

Gobind: You have failed in your duty as an IO.

She replied that she relied on the statements of other witnesses to reach her conclusion to the matter.  

Earlier during the proceedings on Monday, Nurul Hidayah testified that the RM120, 000 was transferred from ABBE's account to Syed Saddiq's personal account in four transactions of RM30,000 each.

She said although the money was transferred in April, there was no other movement in the account until June, when monies were transferred to Syed Saddiq's ASNB account. She also noted that the transaction took place after the 14th General Elections on May 9.

She testified that two transactions of RM50,000 were transferred to the ASNB account. The witness however could not account for where the rest of the RM20,000 went.

"The RM120,000 raised was not used for campaigning in Muar but the money was transferred to Syed Saddiq's ASNB account in two transactions of RM50,000 each," she said, adding that ASNB funds are generally used for investing.

The court had heard previously that the RM120, 000 was raised for the politician's campaign for the 14th general elections. The money was raised from two campaign events held in Muar and another in De Palma Hotel, Ampang.

Syed Saddiq is standing trial for alleged Criminal Breach of Trust (CBT) and misappropriation of RM1.12 million belonging to Bersatu.

He has also pleaded not guilty to two charges of money laundering amounting to RM50,000 each.

The trial continues on Aug 3.

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