KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — DAP’s Lim Kit Siang has touted Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman as a model for young Malays and Malaysians, after the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) Youth chief claimed to have rejected a RM5 million bribe.
The Gelang Patah MP also suggested that Syed Saddiq could even become Malaysia’s youngest minister if Pakatan Harapan (PH) wins federal power.
“Syed Saddiq should be a model for young Malays and young Malaysians to be true to our Malaysian Dream for the country to be showcase to the world of a united, successful, progressive, prosperous, plural nation of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures.
“In fact, Syed Saddiq has the potential to be the country’s youngest Cabinet minister after the 14th general election,” Lim said in a statement.
Syed Saddiq is 25 this year. Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin was the country’s youngest minister when he was appointed to the Cabinet at 37 years’ old in 2013.
The DAP parliamentary leader also claimed youths like Syed Saddiq could no longer be found in the ruling party Umno and Barisan Nasional, but only in PH.
“Syed Saddiq is a refreshing example that there is still hope in the young generation of Malaysians who have not been contaminated and polluted by kleptocratic ways to lose their moral moorings,” said Lim.
On Monday, Syed Saddiq told a press conference that he was foregoing a scholarship allegedly worth RM400,000 for an Oxford University postgraduate course after he was purportedly offered a RM5 million bribe.
Attempts to confirm his allegations have led to discrepancies, however, including Oxford University saying its scholarship would only partially cover the £40,000 (RM224,000) it charges for his course, when he claimed he was offered RM400,000 by the British university.
Syed Saddiq has also followed up his claim of being offered the bribe with new allegations of blackmail, now alleging that he was being threatened over “sensitive” photographs.
At least two former PPBM leaders are currently exploring their legal options against Syed Saddiq over his bribery claim.
