Syed Saddiq arrives at apex court for make-or-break verdict

PUTRAJAYA, June 30 — Muar Member of Parliament (MP) Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman arrived at the Palace of Justice today to hear the Federal Court’s decision on whether he will remain acquitted or face the reinstatement of his conviction and sentence over four charges involving alleged misuse of Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) funds.

Syed Saddiq, 33, arrived at 8.50 am, accompanied by his mother, Shariffah Mahani Syed Abdul Aziz, and fiancée, actress Bella Astillah.

A three-judge Federal Court panel comprising Court of Appeal President Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais and judges Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah is scheduled to deliver the prosecution’s final appeal decision at 9 am.

On June 25, 2025, the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged Syed Saddiq after allowing his appeal to overturn the High Court’s earlier decision, which had sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine.

The Attorney General’s Chambers subsequently filed an appeal to the Federal Court.

Syed Saddiq was charged with abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was then Armada’s assistant treasurer, to commit criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million from Armada funds at CIMB Bank Berhad, KL Sentral, on March 6, 2020.

The charge was framed under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which provides for a prison sentence of up to 10 years, whipping and a fine upon conviction.

He was also charged with misappropriating RM120,000 allegedly belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between six months and five years, whipping, and a fine.

In addition, Syed Saddiq was charged with two counts of money laundering involving transfers of RM50,000 each into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

The charges were brought under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which provides for imprisonment of up to 15 years and a fine of up to five times the value of the amount involved upon conviction. — Bernama