MUAR MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman who walked out of the Court of Appeal a free man yesterday (June 25) following an unanimously acquittal has been hailed as a “fighter who battled with dignity” till truth prevail “without ever asking for shortcuts or DNAA”.
Such is the pulse on the social media with many describing the 32-year-old as gutsy for having endured “five years of accusations, investigations and trials” unlike Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who was let off the hook with a a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA).
Some even praised him as being “braver than the current ruling political leaders” for never resorted to delay his trial or “seek immunity” in his quest to seek justice.
Earlier, a three-member bench comprising Justices Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin allowed the former MUDA president’s appeal to overturn his conviction and sentence of seven years’ jail, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 mil fine imposed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Nov 9, 2023.
After 5 years of accusations, investigations, and trials. Justice has finally prevailed.@SyedSaddiq has been cleared of all charges by the Court of Appeal.
He endured 5 years of hell without ever asking for shortcuts or DNAA.He chose to fight with dignity.
Today, truth wins. pic.twitter.com/H5raK5eiEt— Leben Siddharth (@LebenSiddharth) June 25, 2025
Komen menarik, @SyedSaddiq lebih berani berbanding pemimpin politik yg memerintah sekarang.
Tak kalut minta tangguh atau imuniti.
Bila lah walanon nak faham.. pic.twitter.com/Hj8ScZ9KOY— Hafezحافظ (@medecinhafez) June 25, 2025
Recall that Prime Minister Datuk Seti Anwar Ibrahim had on June 4 failed in his bid for immunity from liability while in office which paved the way for a civil lawsuit involving allegations of sexual assault against him to proceed on June 16.
However, the appellant court has allowed his application to temporarily stay the hearing of the civil lawsuit filed by his former research assistant Yusoff Rawther. This means that the trial, scheduled to begin on June 16, will be suspended until the full hearing of the stay application on July 21.
MACC to spoil the party?
As for DPM Zahid, the Kuala Lumpur High Court had on Sept 4, 2023 granted him a DNAA from all 47 charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), corruption and money laundering in relation to Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
Interestingly, it was the UMNO president’s DNAA even when a prima facie case had been established that eventually prompted Syed Saddiq to pull out MUDA’s support from the ruling Madani government to be a “third force” in Malaysia’s politics by becoming an opposition party.
Whether the touted blue eye boy of twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would re-assume his presidency of MUDA which he had relinquished on Nov 9, 2023 following his High Court conviction would probably hinge on the success of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in over-turning the appellant court’s ruling.
This came about as the prosecution will challenge the Court of Appeal’s decision by taking the case to the Federal Court, according to the graft buster’s head honcho Tan Sri Azam Baki.
Interestingly, Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik who had insisted in court that “not a single sen of the funds involved had gone into the personal pockets of his client (Syed Saddiq)” was also the same defence lawyer who represented Zahid in his Akalbudi case. – June 26, 2025
Peguam Syed Saddiq menegaskan di mahkamah bahawa tiada satu sen pun daripada dana terlibat dimasukkan ke dalam poket peribadi anak guamnya #ohbulan #fyp #news #terkini #syedsaddiq #peguam pic.twitter.com/UfNlL80hDi
— OHBULAN! (@ohbulanofficial) June 25, 2025
Image credit: Bernama/New Straits Times
