KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said allegations that his brother appeared in his stead at an E-Sports Malaysia (ESM) event could not have been true as the youth and sports minister would not have permitted this.

On Twitter, he also pointed out that ESM has already issued a statement rejecting the claim.

He said his brother, Syed Abdullah Syed Abdul Rahman, had turned up at the event uninvited.

"When he was recognised, they asked him to be in the front. There was no need for any special treatment.

"I won’t let my family represent me. It’s wrong!” he added.

Yesterday, reports emerged alleging that Syed Abdullah attended the finals of the e-sports Sea Games Qualifier as a representative of the Youth and Sports Ministry.

The ESM subsequently released a statement to reject this and said it gave Syed Abdullah a front-row seat of its own volition and in appreciation of the brother to the minister taking time to attend the event.

The organisation noted that Syed Abdullah, like his brother, was a fan of e-sports.

"We also did not take offence that the youth and sports minister did not attend the grand final.

"He must have more important duties to prioritise, and we are confident he will put the agenda of youth and sports development over all others,” it said.

The group also said sports, physical or virtual, should be an instrument to unite rather than divide the country.

Today, the chief executive of e-sports equipment maker Razer also chimed in to describe the allegation against Syed Abdullah and the minister as "plain stupid”.

"I don't spend all that much time in Malaysia and I know YB Saddiq's brother is a big fan of e-sports and Razer,” wrote Min-Liang Tan,  the Singaporean entrepreneur who co-founded Razer.

"And if he came for a Razer event we would get him to come to the front and hang out, too. It's bizarre how even e-sports can be politicised.”