Syed Saddiq faced ‘pressure’ by Malaysia’s PPBM, his parents say during corruption trial

Parents of the former youth minister, who was sacked from PPBM for objecting to the party’s defection in 2020, say he is a ‘political victim’

The case has been used by members of Umno – which has ruled Malaysia for much of the past six decades – to argue that the country’s struggle with graft afflicts both sides of the political divide

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Syed Saddiq gained international prominence in 2018 after becoming Malaysia’s youngest minister. File photo: SCMP/Nora Tam

Published: 9:20pm, 21 Jun 2022Updated: 7:05pm, 22 Jun 2022

The parents of a former Malaysian youth minister on Tuesday said their son was “pressured” to support the leader of his former party, as they testified in court on the first day of a highly-anticipated corruption trial that has been described as politically motivated.

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, 29, who gained international prominence in 2018 after becoming Malaysia’s youngest minister, is accused of money laundering and criminal breach of trust over some 1 million ringgit (US$227,000) of funds linked to his previous party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).

As part of the Pakatan Harapan alliance that won the 2018 general election, PPBM members secured seats in parliament, with coalition leader Mahathir Mohamad giving Syed Saddiq a cabinet position. But the bloc fell apart after just 22 months when PPBM’s leaders switched to support United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the heavyweight party it defeated.

Syed Saddiq, who was sacked from PPBM in 2020 for objecting to the defection, has insisted the corruption case is politically motivated and that the charges are borne out of spite for him from figures within PPBM, whose leader Muhyiddin Yassin became prime minister for 18 months after switching sides.

Syed Saddiq’s indictment has been used by members of Umno – a party which has ruled Malaysia for much of the past six decades – to argue that the country’s longstanding struggle with graft afflicts both sides of the political divide.

Many of Malaysia’s ongoing political corruption cases, including the alleged theft of public monies from the state 1MDB fund by former prime minister Najib Razak, involve Umno members.

Muhyiddin Yassin was prime minister for 18 months. File photo: Bernama/dpa

On Tuesday, prosecutors called on Syed Saddiq’s parents as witnesses. Their testimony, widely reported by local media, was immediately perceived by Malaysian social media users to be damaging to the case that the prosecution is seeking to build against the young politician.