PUTRAJAYA (July 13): The three-member Federal Court panel presiding over Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s criminal case reminded everyone that judges are human too and are fallible to life's unpredictability.
"We are human; it is normal to be healthy and also to fall ill at times," bench chair and Court of Appeal President Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais said on Monday.
The much-awaited decision was initially slated for June 30 but it was postponed as one of the bench members, Federal Court judge Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, fell sick.
This prompted some parties to say the postponement was "unprecedented".
Addressing this on Monday, Che Ruzima took issue with the description, saying that there was nothing "unprecedented" when the decision was already ready.
On Monday, Che Ruzima, along with apex court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah in a majority 2-1 decision, dismissed the prosecution’s final appeal against Syed Saddiq's conviction and sentence in his criminal case.
Abu Bakar dissented in part, as he found Syed Saddiq guilty of three of the four charges, namely the misappropriation of party funds of RM120,000 in April 2018 and two money-laundering charges linked to this.
Tense air grips courtroom
Earlier on Monday, all three judges read out summaries of their decisions.
Abu Bakar was first to read his judgement, sentencing the 33-year-old to six months’ imprisonment and one stroke of the rotan. He also meted out six months’ imprisonment and RM5 million each for the two money-laundering charges.
Che Ruzima went next and cleared the Muar parliamentarian of all four charges.
With only a single decision left to determine the young politician's fate, Abu Bakar paused, asking parties if they wanted a break.
Coming back from a brief toilet break, Abu Bakar jested that this showed the younger generation that court proceedings can also be filled with "suspense and excitement".
Sequerah then read his judgement, reaffirming the Court of Appeal (COA)'s previous verdict.
'Proceed with your plans'
After all three judges had read their judgement and the majority was apparent, Abu Bakar asked Syed Saddiq to approach the bench.
Abu Bakar explained that, given his brothers on the panel were not with him, the sentence he had meted out was now immaterial.
However, before ending the session, the judge added:
"We follow developments around. What [plans] the respondent [Syed Saddiq] has after the majority decision is in your favour, those plans can be carried out accordingly," he said.
Although no explicit reference was made to Syed Saddiq's personal life, many saw this as a reference to his wedding plans to his fiancée, actress and singer Bella Astillah, whose real name is Dayang Ara Nabellah Awang Astillah.
The couple got engaged earlier in March this year.