Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman denied filing a false police report claiming that blogger Papagomo had grabbed him by the neck and shoulder with his arm after nomination for the Semenyih by-election in February last year.

Syed Saddiq, 28, also told the Magistrate's Court today that he had not watched any video footage of the incident before the police report was lodged on Feb 16, 2019.

"I only watched the video a few days after the incident and when it was uploaded on social media," he said when the video recording was referred to during cross-examination by lawyer Logen Narayanan on the fifth day of trial. 

Logen is representing Papagomo, 37, whose real name is Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, who is charged with voluntary causing hurt and insulting the modesty of the minister.

However, the Muar MP agreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that he did not specify the date or location where the incident took place in the police report.

When asked by the lawyer at which point of the video recording he was held by the accused, Syed Saddiq said it happened at the 23rd minute of the recording.

Earlier, Logen also questioned the Armada chief on his previous statement in court which said he was attacked by Papagomo from behind when in the video footage Syed Saddiq was seen facing front.

Logen: In your statement YB, you said Papagomo came from behind but in this recording, you are facing front. How do you know it was Papagomo who was running behind you?

Syed Saddiq: When I was ushered towards my car, there were already people trying to protect and surround me. Papagomo placed his hand on my left shoulder and he was coming from the front and that is for sure.

Logen: Do you agree with me that you don’t really know if Papagomo came from the left, right or front because you were facing towards the front?

Syed Saddiq: I agree.

When questioned further on the video recording, Syed Saddiq disagreed to the suggestion that during the incident Papagomo (below) was not holding him by the neck with his hand.

Syed Saddiq also disagreed when the lawyer suggested that there were contradictions between facts given in the police report and the statements made in court on Nov 6 last year.

Papagamo, also an Umno Youth exco member, is charged with insulting the modesty of Syed Saddiq by saying "you are stupid" on the sidewalk of Persiaran Impian Perdana, Saujana Impian, at 11.05am on Feb 16.

The charge framed under Section 509 of the Penal Code provides for imprisonment which may extend to five years or fine or both.

He is also charged with voluntary causing hurt to the Bersatu Youth chief at his neck and shoulder at the same time, place and date, under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term up of up to one year, or a fine of up to RM2, 000, or both.

The hearing before Magistrate Muhammad Noor Firdaus Rosli continues on March 4.

- Bernama