Bersatu was not informed of RM1 million withdrawal - Witness

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today was told that the withdrawal of RM1 million by the Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) wing was not notified to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

Bersatu Finance Officer 1, Muhammad Zulhelmi Zaulkafly, 30, who has been working at the Bersatu Treasurer's Office since 2016, said that his party had never received any application from Armada regarding the withdrawal of the money.

The 20th prosecution witness said this during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Mohd Shahrom Idris at the trial of Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who faces four charges related to criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering.

Asked by Mohd Shahrom whether the witness knew about the withdrawal of RM1 million from Armada, Muhammad Zulhelmi replied: I don't know.

Muhammad Zulhelmi, who regulates, administers and manages the party's financial affairs, said that, according to Clause 24 of the Bersatu constitution, expenditure in excess of RM500,000 must be approved by the party's supreme council, and if there is a withdrawal, it must be recorded to check the balance in the account.

Mohd Shahrom: What will happen if it is not recorded?

Muhammad Zulhelmi: Violating Regulation 24, as we want to prevent financial leakage.

To a question from DPP, Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, the witness said that the trustees for the Armada account were Syed Saddiq, who was then the Armada chief; Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi, who was then the Armada assistant secretary and Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was the Armada assistant treasurer at that time.

In his earlier testimony, Rafiq Hakim told the court that the withdrawal of RM1 million from Armada's account, on Syed Saddiq's instructions, did not follow the procedure and it was wrong as no paperwork was submitted to enable the money to be withdrawn from the bank on March 6, 2020.

Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged as the then Armada chief - entrusted with control of Armada funds - with abetting Rafiq Hakim 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 Berhad account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking Berhad, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya here between April 8 and 21, 2018.

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 Bumiputera account.

He is alleged to have committed the offence at a bank at Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The trial before Judicial Commissioner Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA