The legal battle involving Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will reach its conclusion on Tuesday when Malaysia’s Federal Court delivers its final ruling on the prosecution’s appeal against his acquittal in the ARMADA funds case.
Ahead of the highly anticipated decision, lead prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said he had carried out his responsibilities to the best of his ability and would leave the outcome entirely in the hands of the court.
“I have done my job to the best of my ability in the interest of justice. Whatever the decision, I leave it to the court,” he said when asked to comment on the prosecution’s final appeal.
On June 25 last year, the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged the 33-year-old former Youth and Sports Minister after overturning the High Court’s conviction, which had sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine.
The convictions were related to charges of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property and money laundering involving funds belonging to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s youth wing, ARMADA.
In an unprecedented move on December 12 last year, a three-member Federal Court bench instructed both the prosecution and defence to reconsider their respective positions before proceeding with the final appeal. The panel, chaired by Court of Appeal President Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais, granted both sides one week to review their submissions and determine whether the appeal should continue or whether the court should reassess the matter.
Five days later, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), acting on the instruction of Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar, directed the prosecution to proceed with the appeal. In a letter submitted to the Federal Court Deputy Registrar, the prosecution confirmed it would maintain both its written and oral submissions and accept whatever decision the court ultimately reaches.
The Federal Court’s ruling will determine whether Syed Saddiq remains acquitted or whether his earlier conviction and sentence will be reinstated if the prosecution succeeds.
Syed Saddiq was accused of abetting former ARMADA assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali in committing criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million from ARMADA’s CIMB Bank account on March 6, 2020, an offence under Section 406 of the Penal Code.
He also faces a charge of dishonestly misappropriating RM120,000 belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise under Section 403 of the Penal Code, as well as two counts of money laundering involving RM50,000 transferred into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) account under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Tuesday’s judgment is expected to bring a definitive end to one of Malaysia’s most closely watched political corruption cases, with the decision carrying significant legal and political implications.
