Syed Saddiq's appeal: No decision today, says court

PUTRAJAYA – The Court of Appeal said no decision will be made today on the appeal of Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to overturn his conviction and seven-year jail sentence, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine over four graft counts related to the Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) funds.

At the appeal proceedings, three-man bench led by judge Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim informed that the proceedings which started at 12.15pm were adjourned and will be continued tomorrow.

Also presiding were judges Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin.

The proceedings today began with submissions by Syed Saddiq’s lawyer Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden.

Previously, the court had set two days from March 19 for submissions from both parties.

On Nov 9, 2023, Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid convicted the former Muda president after finding him guilty of four charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of property and money laundering in connection to Armada funds.

In a 22-page judgment, the court rejected Syed Saddiq’s defence saying that his explanations were "illogical."

However, the court granted him a stay the execution of his sentence pending his appeal at the Court of Appeal.

The former Bersatu Armada chief then filed an appeal against the High Court’s decision, presenting 18 grounds to overturn his conviction and sentence, including arguing that the High Court judge erred in equating withdrawals with expenses in the first CBT charge.

On the first count, Syed Saddiq, 33, was charged with abetting former Armada assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was entrusted with RM1 million of Armada's funds, to commit CBT by misappropriating the funds.

The offence was allegedly committed at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, in Kuala Lumpur, on March 6, 2020, and the charge was framed under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and liable to whipping and a fine, if convicted.

On the second charge, the former youth and sports minister was accused of misappropriating RM120,000 from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise's Maybank Islamic Bhd account by making Rafiq dispose of the money.

He allegedly committed the offence at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya, Kuala Lumpur between April 8 and 21, 2018, and the charge was framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which is punishable by up to five years imprisonment and liable to whipping and a fine, if convicted.

He is also facing two counts of money laundering, via transactions of RM50,000 each, believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account in a bank at Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which is punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and liable to a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of an unlawful activity, if convicted.