THE Court of Appeal said no decision would be made today on Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's appeal against his conviction and sentence related to the Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) funds at the Court of Appeal.
At the appeal proceedings, which began at 12.15 pm, the three-member panel, led by Justice Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, with Justices Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin, informed the court that the proceedings were adjourned and will continue tomoroow.
“We will hear the appellant’s submissions today, but we will break for lunch. Tomorrow, we will hear the prosecution's arguments,” stated Justice Ahmad Zaidi.
Syed Saddiq, aged 33, was represented by senior lawyer Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden during the session. The Court of Appeal had previously scheduled a two-day hearing for the appeal on 19 and 20 March 2025.
In November 2023, Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid convicted the former Youth and Sports Minister, finding him guilty on four charges relating to the misappropriation of Armada funds.
The charges included criminal breach of trust, abuse of property, and money laundering, for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison, two strokes of the cane, and a RM10 million fine.
The High Court ruling, which covered a 22-page judgment, dismissed Syed Saddiq's defence and labelled his explanations as “illogical”.
However, the court allowed his request for a stay of execution of the sentence while the appeal was pending in the Court of Appeal.
Syed Saddiq filed an appeal against the High Court’s decision, presenting 18 grounds in his petition.
He argued that the trial judge had erred in law by convicting him on the charges, as the judge failed to properly consider or understand the implications of Section 405 of the Penal Code.
He claimed that the actions attributed to him in the first charge did not constitute an offence under the section.
If the Court of Appeal upholds his conviction, Syed Saddiq may still seek further appeal at the Federal Court, the country’s highest legal authority.
However, if the court allows his appeal, he would be immediately freed from the charges.
The charges that Syed Saddiq faces include conspiring with Rafiq Hakim Razali, then Assistant Treasurer of Armada, to misappropriate RM1 million of Armada’s funds at CIMB Bank Berhad in Kuala Lumpur on 6 March 2020.
This offence is under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, caning, and a fine.
In a second charge, Syed Saddiq is accused of misusing RM120,000 of Armada’s funds from Maybank Islamic Berhad between 8 and 21 April 2018.
This offence falls under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a sentence of imprisonment from six months to five years, caning, and a fine.
Additionally, Syed Saddiq faces two money laundering charges related to transferring RM50,000 from his Maybank Islamic Berhad account to his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account on 16 and 19 June 2018.
These transactions allegedly derived from criminal activity and are covered under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds from Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
This section carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine up to five times the amount involved in the illegal activities.
As Syed Saddiq’s appeal continues, the court’s decision on whether to uphold or overturn his conviction will be crucial not only for the former minister but also for broader discussions on accountability and transparency in the handling of political party funds. – Marc 19, 2025
