The RM1 million was in Syed Saddiq’s possession.

Former Bersatu Youth assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali said Syed Saddiq called him in late March 2020, informing him that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) wanted to conduct checks at his Petaling Jaya home.

He said he was told by Syed Saddiq the checks were part of MACC’s investigations into the former Bersatu Youth leader’s police report that he was robbed of RM250,000. Then, Syed Saddiq had said the RM250,000 had been stolen from his home.

Rafiq said Syed Saddiq asked him to “clear” some cash that Syed Saddiq was holding.

“I distributed (part of) the money to Naqib (Rahim) and Daniel (Kusari),” he said.

Before this, Naqib – a tailor and Bersatu member – and Daniel – the then federal territories Bersatu Youth information chief – had testified that they received RM250,000 and RM650,000, respectively, from Rafiq in April 2020.

Rafiq also told the court that he and Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi, the then Bersatu Youth assistant secretary, went to the CIMB KL Sentral branch on March 6, 2020 to withdraw RM1 million from the youth wing’s account.

He said the withdrawal was done on Syed Saddiq’s instruction.

“He (Syed Saddiq) asked me how much was in the bank account and I told him we had about RM1.8 million.

“He instructed me and Redzuan to withdraw RM1 million for Armada’s (Bersatu Youth) programmes,” he said.

Rafiq said as RM1 million was a large amount, he contacted the branch manager and asked if the branch had sufficient money.

“When the manager informed us that they had sufficient funds, I proceeded (with the withdrawal),” he said.

Asked by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin what happened to the balance of the money after it was distributed to Naqib and Daniel, Rafiq said it was spent on the political programmes, but he could not recall the details.

Syed Saddiq is standing trial on four counts of CBT and money laundering. He is alleged to have misappropriated a total of RM1.12 million belonging to Bersatu.

From the amount, RM120,000 was said to be party funds for the 2018 general election, while RM1 million was allegedly withdrawn by him without the top leadership’s consent.

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

The hearing before judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid continues.