KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 20): Close to a year after the High Court found Muar Member of Parliament (MP) Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman guilty of misappropriation of party funds, the record of appeal, which is needed for the young politician’s defence team to prepare its grounds of appeal, is still not ready.

It is common practice for a court to prepare the appeal records in about eight weeks.

As a result of the delay, the appellate court has set another case management date for Nov 25, to be updated on the matter.

On Nov 9 last year, High Court judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid found the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) co-founder guilty of all four charges involving misappropriation of more than RM1 million belonging to Armada, the youth wing of his former party, Bersatu.

The court then sentenced Syed Saddiq to a total of seven years in prison, two strokes of the cane, and a fine of RM10 million.

An appeal was filed on the same day against the conviction and sentence. However, the record is needed in order for the defence to file their grounds for appeal.

In criminal appeals, the court registry prepares and delivers to parties the appeal records, which would contain the notes of evidence, exhibits, and grounds of judgement.

A stay of execution of the High Court's was granted pending the disposal of Syed Saddiq's appeal. He also remains the Muar MP until his appeal process is exhausted.

He stepped down as Muda party president following the High Court’s verdict.

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