Ex-Malaysia minister Syed Saddiq resigns as Muda leader after graft ...

KUALA LUMPUR – Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman was on Thursday handed a seven-year prison sentence, two strokes of the cane and fined RM10 million (S$2.9 million) after he was found guilty on all charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of funds and money laundering.

The high-profile lawmaker from a youth-centric party is the first politician to face a whipping sentence for corruption, reported New Straits Times.

Following the verdict, Syed Saddiq said he would step down as the president of Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda).

Muda in September pulled support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan coalition after the prosecution dropped corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi.

At a press conference at the party headquarters, Syed Saddiq said: “I don’t deserve the role any more.”

“I owe a duty not just to the public, but to Muda members and the leadership to take a step back,” he added.

He said deputy president Amira Aisya would now serve as acting president.

Syed Saddiq earlier told reporters outside the court that he accepted the ruling, but will fight to clear his name at the Court of Appeal.

“I will use the court, the judicial system to clear my name. As a policymaker, I must trust the judiciary and I respect the court’s decision today because the judiciary is the last bastion for the people, including myself,” he said.

He added that he is ready to face criticisms from the public following the verdict.

“To be the kind of leader who can do the best for the country, one must be whiter than white to realise the Malaysian dream. I will accept any criticism because I am no different from any other person in this country,” he added.

Syed Saddiq embraced his parents after speaking to the press. His mother was in tears.

Speaker of Parliament Johari Abdul said Syed Saddiq will remain the MP for Muar until he has exhausted all legal means to clear his name.

On Thursday morning, the high court handed out the sentence after the defence failed to cast reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case.

The court allowed his application to stay the execution of his sentence while pending appeal.

On March 14, the defence closed its case after calling Syed Saddiq and three other witnesses, namely Armada Information Chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, as well as Mr Mohamed Amshar Aziz and Ms Siti Nurul Hidayah, who were Syed Saddiq’s former special officer and former private secretary, respectively.

Armada is the youth wing of Syed Saddiq’s former party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), which was co-founded by Tun Mahathir Mohamad and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Syed Saddiq was charged with abetting Bersatu assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was entrusted with RM1 million (S$290,000) of Armada’s funds, to commit criminal breach of trust by misappropriating the funds.

The offence was allegedly committed at the KL Sentral CIMB Bank branch on March 6, 2020, when the Perikatan Nasional government comprising Bersatu was in power.

On the second charge, Syed Saddiq was accused of misappropriating RM120,000 from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise’s Maybank Islamic account by making Rafiq dispose of the money.

He allegedly committed the offence between April 8 and 21 in 2018.

He also faced two counts of money laundering, via transactions of RM50,000 each, believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account in a bank in Johor Bahru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The Johor Bahru Sessions Court then allowed the prosecution’s request to transfer the case in order for all four charges to be jointly tried at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

Syed Saddiq was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for the criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of assets charges, while the other two money laundering charges were at the Johor Bahru Sessions Court.

On Nov 25, 2021, Syed Saddiq was allowed to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK