Kuala Lumpur: The Court of Appeal was informed today that Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s directive to former Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali to “clear” RM1 million withdrawn from its account was considered a dishonest act by the prosecution.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin stated that Syed Saddiq instructed Rafiq Hakim, the 13th prosecution witness, through a phone call, fearing the funds would be seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Despite Syed Saddiq’s defense claiming no such instruction was given, SP13 testified that he was instructed by Syed Saddiq to ensure the money was not kept at his home and to dispose of it if necessary.
The appeal hearing, which is in its third day, involves Syed Saddiq, the Muar Member of Parliament, contesting his conviction and sentence on four charges, including criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering related to Armada funds. The session is presided over by a three-judge panel comprising Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Azman Abdullah, and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin.
DPP Wan Shaharuddin argued that Syed Saddiq, the former Youth and Sports Minister, was guilty of abetment by instructing Rafiq Hakim to carry out the crime. Evidence presented in court indicated that Syed Saddiq had ordered the withdrawal of RM1 million on March 6, 2020. Consequently, the High Court had convicted and sentenced Syed Saddiq based on appropriate legal and factual grounds.
Wan Shaharuddin emphasized that there was no error by the trial judge that led to a miscarriage of justice, necessitating the Court of Appeal’s intervention. The prosecution urged the appellate court to uphold Syed Saddiq’s conviction for abetting CBT.
In addition, DPP Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan, also representing the prosecution, noted that the funds collected by Armada were not withdrawn for Syed Saddiq’s campaign in the 14th General Election (GE14). Instead, he transferred RM100,000 into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) account post-election. Although Syed Saddiq issued receipts for GE14 expenses, it did not confirm that the funds were from his personal resources. The prosecution dismissed Syed Saddiq’s reimbursement defense as an afterthought.
Following arguments from both sides, Judge Ahmad Zaidi scheduled April 24 for case management to determine a date for the verdict.
On November 9, 2023, the Kuala Lumpur High Court sentenced Syed Saddiq, 32, to seven years in prison, two strokes of the cane, and a RM10 million fine after convicting him on four charges related to abetting CBT, property misuse, and money laundering involving Armada funds. He was found guilty of abetting Rafiq Hakim, who was entrusted with RM1 million of party funds, in misappropriating the money at CIMB Bank Berhad, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, on March 6, 2020.
The former minister was also convicted of misusing RM120,000 from an Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise account and directing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the funds at Malayan Banking Berhad between April 8 and April 21, 2018. Additionally, Syed Saddiq was convicted on two counts of money laundering, involving the transfer of RM50,000 each from his Maybank Islamic Berhad account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account, believed to be illegal proceeds, in June 2018.