THAT former MUDA president Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has been robbed of more than six years of his youthful life till the Federal Court yesterday (July 14) upheld his acquittal from all four graft charges in a split 2-1 decision has left some Madani critics ruing persecution against political rivals.
On the bright side, the Federal Court’s verdict means that the 34-year-old Muar MP is both not disqualified from contesting in the 16th General Election (GE16) and could potentially return to helm MUDA which he co-founded after being removed as the Bersatu Youth chief.
But his looking back at the ordeal that he went through has touched the heart of every politically-inclined Malaysian – “I didn’t run away. I didn’t delay (the process of law). I didn’t ask for special treatment”.
Recall that at the very height of his legal predicament, Syed Saddiq had on Nov 9, 2023 sentenced by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to a total of seven years in prison, two strokes of the rotan and a fine of RM10 mil after being guilty of misappropriation of more than RM1 mil belonging to the Bersatu youth wing.
Thus, the entire court drama that unfolded at the Federal Court yesterday (July 13) has prompted prominent political commentator Papa Berry to conclude that both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his deputy Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi “need to learn something from Syed Saddiq”.
“Saddiq from the beginning didn’t run away from his case. He fought, fought and kept fighting,” the social media influencer whose real name is Nurpais Ismail penned in a Facebook post.
“Why so afraid of Yusuf Rawther?”
“When he was found guilty, he fought at the Court of Appeal and succeeded. Then when the decision was challenged by the prosecutor, he fought again and finally he succeeded again. And now he’s a free man and is ready to get married”.
Added founder of the popular Papa Berry Studios channel on YouTube:
So to Zahid, just fight your 47 cases in court. No need to file any applications. Your case is prima facie. Even if the verdict is passed, there is still a further process.
You yourself had previously said “I will fight my own case”, right? Just fight. Prove that you aren’t guilty outright.
And to Anwar Ibrahim, well … no need to keep changing lawyers, appealing here and there, seeking immunity, whatever. You can fight even the dragon, right? This is just Yusuf Rawther.
Former MUDA information chief Luqman Long is unforgiving of the Madani government for enabling “the political prosecution by having the AG-MACC (Attorney-General-Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) to appeal Saddiq’s acquittal in the Court of Appeal”.
“Saddiq is a free man. Six years went by with a bittersweet ending,” penned Luqman who has resumed full-time political activity with MUDA early this year on X. “Today’s verdict is no thanks to Madani and Anwar Ibrahim. Saddiq is whiter than white!”
Saddiq is a free man. 6 years went by with a bittersweet ending.
Madani enabled the political prosecution by having AG-MACC to appeal Saddiq’s acquittal in the Court of Appeal.
Today’s verdict is no thanks to Madani and Anwar Ibrahim.
Saddiq is whiter than white! pic.twitter.com/e8APgzxYNQ
— luqmanlong (@luqmanlong) July 13, 2026
Cat lover Reza Zainal trained his gun on PMX’s predecessor Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for the closure of his RM170 mil case “just because the money has been seized and deposited into the government account”.
“So easy. On stage, you claimed to be wanting to fight plunderers. That’s your only capital when holding a microphone on stage,” berated the ex-chemist who champions righteousness on his Facebook page.
You think the rakyat are stupid and unable to judge with their own eyes? The case against Tun M (Dr Mahathir Mohamad), Tun Daim (Zainuddin) and Syed Saddiq didn’t work out. All the accusations are just coffee shop talk.
The case of strong UMNO people like Zahid and Ismail Sabri was never truly prosecuted. Even though the cases involve hundreds of millions.
Talking thrash indeed. I’ll remember this during the next GE. – July 14, 2026
Main image credit: Astro Awani
