Judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid said Rafiq Hakim Razali’s witness statement, which was not tendered in court, cannot be used as a basis to impeach the former Bersatu assistant treasurer.

Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo then said the defence was making a fresh bid to obtain Rafiq’s statements which were recorded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2020 during its investigation.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin objected to the defence’s application. He said the alleged contradiction raised by the defence was minor and did not warrant impeachment proceedings to be commenced against Rafiq.

On July 8, the defence made an application to impeach Rafiq over the contents of his witness statement and oral testimony in court.

However, the prosecution contended that Rafiq’s witness statement had no legal basis and was inadmissible as the prosecution did not tender it before the court.

In his testimony earlier this month, Rafiq said Syed Saddiq had asked him to withdraw RM1 million during a meeting at the Muar MP’s house in Petaling Jaya in March 2020.

However, under cross-examination, Rafiq said Syed Saddiq only mentioned the RM1 million amount in a phone call.

Syed Saddiq, a former Bersatu Youth chief, is standing trial on four counts of CBT and money laundering over 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From the amount, RM120,000 was said to be party funds for the 2018 general election, while RM1 million was allegedly withdrawn by him without the top leadership’s consent.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.