Syed Saddiq gets 7 years jail, rotan, RM10m fine

Former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was sentenced to seven years in jail, two strokes of the rotan, and slapped with an RM10 million fine.

This comes after the Kuala Lumpur High Court found him guilty of four charges involving criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of property, and money laundering linked to RM1.12 million of Bersatu Youth funds.

However, judge Azhar Abdul Hamid allowed the defence's application to stay the execution of all the sentences pending Syed Saddiq's appeal to the Court of Appeal.

Earlier during open-court proceedings, deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin urged for a deterrent jail sentence.

While acknowledging that Syed Saddiq had contributed to society, the DPP pointed out that a deterrent sentence must be meted out due to the gravity and rampancy of the crime committed by politicians and the broken trust put in the accused by youths and wider society.

The prosecutor pointed out that a message must be sent out due to multiple CBT cases that are taking place nowadays, citing the criminal court having imposed a 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case.

‘May Syed Saddiq repent’

“We the prosecution pray that the accused after serving his sentence, would come out as not only a better individual but also a better politician and better member of society.

“He (Syed Saddiq) is young and there is plenty of time for him to change his ways, and may he repent (insaf) over the offence committed,” Wan Shaharuddin said.

However, in seeking a lesser sentence, defence counsel Haijan Omar submitted that Syed Saddiq has contributed much to society as then youth and sports minister by spearheading the historic constitutional amendment to decrease the age of voting from 21 to 18.

The lawyer pointed out that coupled with Syed Saddiq also being behind the automatic voting for voters in Malaysia, the accused “paved the way for around three million youths to vote in elections”.

Haijan also noted that Syed Saddiq is the youngest of five children and that he had to care for his elderly mother who is not well as her breast cancer is relapsing, adding that his client’s elderly father also just had a cataract operation.

On March 14, the defence closed its case after calling Syed Saddiq and three other witnesses - namely Bersatu information chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, as well as Mohamed Amshar Aziz and Siti Nurul Hidayah - who are Syed Saddiq's former special officer and former private secretary, respectively.

When the trial began on June 21 last year, a total of 29 prosecution witnesses testified in the case.

Among them are Syed Saddiq’s father Syed Abdul Rahman Abdullah Asagoff, his mother Shariffah Mahani Syed Abdul Aziz, and former Bersatu Youth assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali as well as MACC investigating officers Nurul Hidayah Kamarudin, Syahmeizy Sulong and Asbi Munip.

The prosecution’s case was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Wan Shaharudin Wan Ladin and Mohd Afif Ali, while lawyers Gobind Singh Deo and Haijan Omar acted for Syed Saddiq.

On Oct 28 last year, the court ordered Syed Saddiq to enter his defence after the prosecution succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against him.

The Muar MP was charged with abetting Rafiq, who was entrusted with RM1 million of Bersatu Youth funds, to commit CBT with the money.

The offence was purportedly committed at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2 on March 6, 2020.

The charge was framed under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment, whipping, and fine, if convicted.

On the second charge, he is accused of misappropriating RM120,000 from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise’s Maybank Islamic Bhd account by making Rafiq Hakim dispose of the funds.

Syed Saddiq allegedly committed the offence at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya - between April 8 and 21, 2018.

The charge was framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which is punishable with a maximum of five years imprisonment, whipping and a fine, upon a guilty verdict.

He also faced two counts of money laundering, via transactions of RM50,000 each, alleged to be proceeds from unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account in a bank at Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which is punishable by up to 15 years in jail, and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of an unlawful activity, upon conviction.

Syed Saddiq was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for CBT and misappropriation of assets charges, while the other two money laundering charges were at the Johor Bahru Sessions Court.

The Johor Bahru Sessions Court later allowed the prosecution's request to transfer the case in order for all four charges to be jointly tried at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

On Nov 25, 2021, Syed Saddiq was allowed to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

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