KUALA LUMPUR – Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has been sentenced to nine years in jail, two whips, and a RM10 million fine after the high court here found him guilty on all four counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), money laundering, and misappropriating RM1.12 million.
However, he is to serve a total of seven years in jail, as the sentences for money laundering are to run concurrently.
This makes Syed Saddiq the first elected representative and sitting MP to have been sentenced to whipping.
Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid today sentenced Syed Saddiq to three years in jail and one whip for CBT, and two years’ jail and one stroke of the rotan for misappropriation of funds.
For each of the two money laundering convictions, the court sentenced the Muar MP to two years in jail, a RM5 million fine, and two years’ jail if he fails to pay the fine.
Azhar meted out the sentence after considering mitigation submissions by defence counsels Gobind Singh Deo and Haijan Omar, as well as deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.
The judge later granted a stay of sentence execution to Syed Saddiq, after the defence team orally applied for it in court.
The stay of sentence execution is granted pending the MP’s appeal at the Court of Appeal.
Earlier, Haijan submitted for the court to consider Syed Saddiq’s contribution to society as Muda president and as the youngest minister in Asia when he was appointed youth and sports minister in 2018.
“He also led the historic constitutional amendment on Undi18 that paved the way for three million voters to cast their ballots in the 2022 general election, as well as increasing the minimum internship payments for university students when he was part of the previous government.
“He (Syed Saddiq) regretted his act and accepted the verdict,” said Haijan.
Meanwhile, Gobind submitted that the court must consider evidence which showed not a sen from the alleged RM1 million withdrawn from Armada’s (Bersatu Youth) account was for Syed Saddiq’s personal use.
Wan Shaharuddin then submitted for the court to consider that this is a public interest case and deemed as high-profile.
He also suggested for the court to sentence Syed Saddiq to two to four years’ jail with whipping and a minimum fine of RM5 million for all charges.
“We are grateful that the accused (Syed Saddiq) regretted his act. However, the court’s decision and verdict should serve as a lesson for the accused.
“The sentence should also send a message to the public that the law does not tolerate white-collar crime, especially when it involves politicians.”
Earlier, Azhar found Syed Saddiq guilty on all four criminal charges after finding no merit in his defence. – November 9, 2023