KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — Rafiq Hakim Razali, Armada’s former assistant treasurer, told the High Court today that he was instructed by Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman to distribute the money that he withdrew from Armada’s account in March 2020 as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was going to investigate the missing RM250,000 from his home.

Armada, or Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda in full, is the Youth wing of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia. Syed Saddiq was Armada chief between September 7, 2016 and May 28, 2020.

Rafiq said he gave RM650,000 to Muhammad Daniel Kusari, the current Kuala Lumpur Armada information chief, and another RM250,000 to entrepreneur Muhammad Naqib Ab Rahim after withdrawing RM1 million in one go from Armada’s bank account at CIMB Bank Berhad, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, here on March 6, 2020.

Rafiq, the prosecution’s star witness who is the 13th witness in this trial, said he received a call from Syed Saddiq in late March or early April stating he was about to be investigated by the MACC for the missing RM250,000 at his home which happened around the same time and instructed him to clear the money.

Syed Saddiq’s home was burgled on March 30, 2020 and he lost RM250,000 from his safe which included money belonging to his mother and father.

Rafiq: Around that time, he said MACC was coming so clear all the money I have in my hands. So I distributed RM1 million to Daniel and Naqib.

Ladin: Was there any time between the reported theft and March 6, 2020 when the accused told you to distribute the money?

Rafiq: Nope.

Ladin: So only on March 6 when the MACC were about to come and investigate, did he say take the money out and clear it?

Rafiq: As far as I can recall, yes.

Rafiq said he kept the remainder RM100,000 for Armada programmes, adding that all his actions were done based on instructions from Syed Saddiq.

The trial before Judicial Commissioner Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid continues at 2.30pm.