PUTRAJAYA (June 30): The final verdict for Muar parliamentarian Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's criminal case over misuse of political party funds has been postponed to July 13.
Court of Appeal President Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais, who took the three-member bench alone at the onset of Tuesday's proceedings, said a decision was ready but it didn't seem proper to proceed without all members of the panel present.
One of the bench members, Federal Court judge Datuk Che Ruzima Ghazali, is unwell and on a two-day medical leave until Wednesday.
"Given the situation, we can't deliver our decision today,” Abu Bakar said. "We are ready with the decision but this is the unfortunate event that happened today.”
Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah was present in court though he did not take the bench.
Abu Bakar said that the panel contemplated informing parties of the postponement late on Monday but thought it would be "not proper" to do so.
"That is why I am on the bench today," Abu Bakar said.
The panel was set to deliver its decision on the prosecution's appeal against the appellate court's decision.
In June last year, the Court of Appeal reversed the High Court's verdict and acquitted the young politician of four charges consisting of abetting criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of party funds, and money laundering.
The funds in question belonged to Armada, Bersatu's youth wing, which Syed Saddiq had led before leaving the party in May 2020.
The former youth and sports minister was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison, two strokes of the rotan, and a fine of RM10 million. He had been found guilty of two main charges that were separate and not connected to each other.
For the first charge, Syed Saddiq had been found guilty of abetting former Armada assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali in committing criminal breach of trust by withdrawing RM1 million of the party funds in March 2020.
Syed Saddiq has maintained that the monies were used for the party's welfare programme for the Covid-19 outbreak and also for Ramadan and Hari Raya, which were around the corner. The prosecution, however, asserts that there was ill-intention behind withdrawal to strengthen Syed Saddiq's position amid the party's internal turmoil.
As for the second charge, Syed Saddiq is charged with misusing RM120,000 of party contributions belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise in April 2018. The company was set up to generate income for Armada through merchandise sales.
The sum was transferred to Syed Saddiq's personal Maybank account.
He also faces two money laundering charges.
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