FORMER Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has been handed a seven-year jail term, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 mil fine. He was convicted today on four counts related to criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of property and money laundering involving RM1.12 mil of Bersatu youth funds.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, who ruled that the former Bersatu Youth chief failed to raise reasonable doubt in the prosecution’s case.
Despite that, the Judge allowed the defence’s application to stay the execution of all the sentences pending Syed Saddiq’s appeal to the Court of Appeal.
The charges against the 30-year-old Muar MP stemmed from his time as the youth and sports minister, where he allegedly misused party funds. The court found him guilty at the end of the defence’s case, leading to his conviction.
He was charged with conspiring with Armada assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was entrusted with RM1 mil from Armada funds to commit criminal breach of trust by misappropriating the funds. The alleged act took place at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020.
Moreover, the court determined that he misused RM120,000 from the bank account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise for personal gain, causing Rafiq to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking Bhd in Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 to 21, 2018.
The second-term MP was also found guilty on two counts of money laundering. He was convicted for transferring RM50,000 each – believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities – from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account at a bank in Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.
The MUDA president was once seen as a rising star in Malaysian politics. However, this legal setback may have significant implications for his political career. – Nov 9, 2023
Main photo credit: FreeMalaysiaToday
