Former MUDA president Syed Saddiq has announced he will not contest in the party’s upcoming election, citing his ongoing legal proceedings as the reason for stepping back. In a statement shared on Facebook, Syed emphasised that his decision is guided by principle and the need to ensure the youth-centric party continues its reform agenda without distraction.
Syed, who founded MUDA on the belief that Malaysian politics must be “cleaner than clean” and leadership “whiter than white,” voluntarily stepped down from the presidency several years ago. He said the move at the time was to uphold the principle that anyone leading MUDA—or aspiring to lead Malaysia—must be beyond reproach.
He highlighted that the Court of Appeal had unanimously acquitted him 3–0, a decision he described as “clear and decisive.” Despite this, Syed noted the government had filed an appeal against the full acquittal, leaving him awaiting a decision from the Federal Court.
“I have not run. I have not delayed. I have not obstructed. I am facing the process fully, patiently, and transparently,” he wrote in the post.
Syed stressed that MUDA’s growth must not be hindered by his personal legal matters. “To allow my personal legal journey, however unjust, to hold back a party built on reform would be reckless. MUDA must move forward,” he said.
He reiterated his commitment to MUDA’s founding principles and Malaysian democracy, stating that the party and the nation are bigger than any individual. “With humility, I take a step back so that MUDA can move forward. I will continue to believe in, support, and defend the values upon which MUDA was built. MUDA deserves nothing less. Malaysia deserves nothing less,” he wrote.
The announcement comes ahead of MUDA’s first party election, which will mark a significant step in consolidating its leadership structure and advancing its reform agenda in Malaysian politics.
