PUTRAJAYA, Sept 30 — The prosecution is ready to proceed with its appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman of charges of criminal breach of trust, misuse of property and money laundering involving funds of Bersatu’s youth wing, Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada).
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said the Chief Justice had directed that the appeal hearing be fixed for late November or early December.
“The appellant (prosecution) is prepared and submissions are ready. However, the respondent (Syed Saddiq), represented by lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, applied for the hearing date to be set in January, but the court did not agree.
“Nevertheless, the court has asked both parties, especially the respondent, to submit a letter before fixing a new case management date,” he said when contacted by reporters after online case management proceedings before Federal Court deputy registrar Mahyun Yusof.
Meanwhile, Hisyam, when contacted, confirmed the matter and informed that his side had been asked to provide reasons for the January hearing request through a letter that would be sent to the court today.
On June 25, a three-member Court of Appeal panel comprising judges Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin allowed Syed Saddiq‘s appeal to set aside his conviction and the sentence of seven years’ jail, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine imposed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on November 9, 2023.
A day later (June 26), the Attorney General’s Chambers filed an appeal at the Federal Court against the decision, and the prosecution filed its petition of appeal on September 22.
Syed Saddiq, 32, was charged with abetting former Armada assistant treasurer, Rafiq Hakim Razali, in committing criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million in Armada funds at CIMB Bank Berhad, KL Sentral, on March 6, 2020, under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years, whipping and a fine.
He also faced a charge of misusing RM120,000 belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of between six months and five years, whipping and a fine, upon conviction.
The former youth and sports minister was also charged with two counts of money laundering involving transfers of RM50,000 each into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.
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 carries a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine of up to five times the amount involved, upon conviction. — Bernama
