30-11-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) The Malaysian High Court has affirmed that the seven-year imprisonment and corporal punishment imposed on former Bersatu Youth chief and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman are appropriate sanctions for his financial misconduct.
In delivering his detailed judgment, Justice Azhar Abdul Hamid emphasised the significance of Syed Saddiq’s position as a public figure and youth leader, stating that such roles demand exemplary conduct. The court maintained that the sentence, which includes two strokes of the cane and a substantial RM10 million fine, reflects the gravity of the offences.
The former youth leader was found culpable of multiple financial improprieties, including criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million of party funds and misappropriation of RM120,000. Additional convictions include two counts of money laundering, involving transfers totalling RM100,000 to his personal account from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, an organisation linked to the youth wing.
The court dismissed Syed Saddiq’s defence claims, with Justice Azhar noting the implausibility of a youth chief being unaware of significant financial transactions. “The concealment of funds at the youth wing’s premises suggests deliberate misconduct,” the judge remarked in his 22-page ruling.
Whilst the combined sentences amount to seven years, the court ordered concurrent serving, effectively reducing the actual imprisonment to five years. The ruling emphasised that as a first-time offender, the convicted politician has the opportunity for rehabilitation and reflection.
Syed Saddiq has initiated an appeal against both the conviction and sentence, with the Court of Appeal scheduled to manage the case on 16 January. The sentence marks a significant fall from grace for the young politician, who rose to prominence as one of Malaysia’s youngest parliamentarians.
