MUAR Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said he respected the Federal Court's decision to postpone its ruling on the prosecution's final appeal against his acquittal, after one of the judges on the three-member panel went on medical leave.
The apex court deferred the decision, originally scheduled for Tuesday, to July 13 following the absence of Justice Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, who was reported to be on two days' medical leave.
Court of Appeal president Justice Abu Bakar Jais said the panel had completed its deliberations but could not deliver the judgment without all three judges present.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin accepted the postponement and wished the absent judge a speedy recovery.
“We pray that judge Datuk Che Ruzima Ghazali will recover soon. Such matters do happen. We just need to be patient,” he said.
Speaking to reporters outside the Palace of Justice, Syed Saddiq said he respected both the court's decision and the country's judicial institution, describing it as the proper avenue for justice.
“I respect the decision of the learned judges and I respect the Judiciary as the final institution where individuals like me can obtain justice, not through shortcuts but through a trial based on facts and evidence under the judicial institution.
“I understand that this situation was unexpected, which is why it is difficult for me to comment further,” he said.
Syed Saddiq said he had been mentally prepared for any outcome after fighting the case for the past six years. “For me personally, this is not a new case. I have spent six years fighting to restore my name, integrity and dignity.
“If I have to wait another two weeks, I accept and abide by the court's decision,” he added.
The prosecution is seeking to overturn the Court of Appeal's decision on June 25, 2025, which acquitted Syed Saddiq of four charges involving criminal breach of trust, dishonest misappropriation of property and money laundering linked to Armada funds.
The Court of Appeal had set aside the High Court's November 9, 2023 conviction and sentence of seven years' imprisonment, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine.
The Attorney General's Chambers filed its appeal to the Federal Court a day after the acquittal.
The charges relate to the alleged abetment of criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million in Armada funds, the dishonest misappropriation of RM120,000 belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, and two money laundering transactions involving RM50,000 transferred into Syed Saddiq's Amanah Saham Bumiputera account. - June 30, 2026
