Bersatu Supreme Council member Saifuddin Abdullah said the raid was aimed at tarnishing Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) image, according to Utusan Malaysia.

“When they (government leaders) are not performing, they will try to discredit the top leadership of Bersatu and PN.

“I see it as a cheap political stunt by the desperate Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional with the state polls approaching.

“What is the intention behind this investigation, and why has it gone to the media?

“Where did the story come from? Is it really from LHDN or another office?” he reportedly said.

The former foreign minister also said he had contacted Hamzah over the matter and was told that the raid was related to a case the PN secretary-general was linked to before this.

Saifuddin is believed to be referring to a RM15 million graft case against businessman Sim Choo Thiam. Sim was charged in May with demanding RM15 million from another businessman, Hep Kim Hong, sometime in June 2021.

The prosecution said the sum was meant to be an inducement for Hamzah to assist Hep’s company, Asia Coding Sdn Bhd, to secure projects from his ministry.

Hamzah later questioned why his name was being mentioned in the court case, claiming these were accusations “deliberately fabricated in such a way to drag my name into matters that do not directly involve me”.

Yesterday, a PN source told FMT that a few documents were seized by LHDN in the raid on Hamzah’s house in Damansara.

Another source claimed that the raid on Wednesday night “failed to unearth” anything negative on the former home minister.