KUALA LUMPUR – The fate of Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman still hangs in the balance, as the Court of Appeal has yet to deliver its verdict on his appeal against his conviction and sentencing involving Bersatu Youth (Armada) funds.
The case management has been set for April 24, pending further review of submissions. The date of the verdict will be decided on this day.
The former youth and sports minister is appealing against a sentence of seven years in prison, two strokes of the cane, and a RM10 million fine. The three-judge panel, chaired by Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, announced the delay today.
Zaidi, who leads the panel presiding over the case, said the judges would take time to consider submissions from both sides before delivering their decision, The Star reported.
The other judges on the bench are Justices Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin.
Earlier today, the prosecution resumed its submission, followed by responses from the defence team. Today marked the third day of proceedings after it was adjourned last month.
On November 9 last year, Syed Saddiq, in his capacity as former Bersatu Youth chief, was found guilty of one charge of criminal breach of trust involving over RM1 million belonging to the party wing, as well as another count of dishonest misappropriation of property amounting to over RM120,000, also belonging to Bersatu Youth.
He was also convicted on two counts of money laundering for transferring a total of RM100,000 to his personal account from a Bersatu Youth-linked company, Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise.
The court imposed three-year and two-year jail sentences for the CBT and dishonest misappropriation charges, respectively. He was also sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and a RM2 million fine for each of the money laundering charges.
However, Syed Saddiq only needs to serve a total of seven years in prison, as the sentences for the money laundering charges are to run concurrently.
Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, in grounds of judgment released last November, said public interest amid a rise in breach of trust and funds misappropriation cases played a crucial role in sentencing the Muda parliamentarian to nine years’ imprisonment and two strokes of the cane.
Azhar said a stern reminder had to be issued to the public, given the increasing frequency of such cases coming before the judiciary.
“As such, a clear and firm reminder is necessary for the public (to understand that) the court seriously regards the matter,” the judge wrote in his 22-page grounds of judgment, released on November 28.
However, Syed Saddiq’s counsel, Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, reportedly said in March that the high court did not consider all the evidence when convicting Syed Saddiq, noting that the MP had challenged and offered further explanations to rebut prosecution witnesses’ testimony.
According to The Edge, Hisyam said there were instances where the trial judge merely “narrated” the defence’s evidence without giving it adequate consideration or making findings on it. – April 17, 2025