Tearful former Malaysian minister Syed Saddiq thankful after corruption charges quashed

Straits Times

6 hours ago

Asked about his future plans, Mr Syed Saddiq (left) said he would take some time to spend with his family. PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
PUTRAJAYA - Mr Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman breathed a sigh of relief after five challenging years as his conviction and sentence concerning multiple corruption charges came to an end on June 25.
The tearful Muar MP, accompanied by his parents and family members, performed prayers of gratitude after emerging from the Court of Appeal.
He said that after enduring years of adversity, blackmail, and bribery, he felt a deep sense of gratitude and reaffirmed his commitment to serving the public and staying true to his principles.
'I don't regret anything and I am not afraid to go through it all again. In the end, it is worth it,' he said.
Asked about his future plans, Mr Syed Saddiq said he would take some time to spend with his family.
On whether he would rejoin the leadership of his youth-based party, the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), Mr Syed Saddiq said it was up to the party to decide.
Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of Mr Syed Saddiq's legal team, lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said they were grateful to the learned judges for the verdict and appreciated the court's consideration of their arguments.
'We canvassed two points: first, that there was no prima facie case, and second, that the High Court judge did not appreciate the advanced defence by YB (Syed Saddiq). The Court accepted and appreciated our submissions.
'On the first charge, the Court found no evidence of dishonest intention on the part of YB. The RM1 million (S$301,600) was channelled for party programmes, and not a single sen went into his pocket.
'As for the second charge, the Court accepted that the money belonged to YB, so there was no criminal misappropriation. The charges did not stand.'
'Alhamdulillah for the decision by the Court of Appeal — justice has been served. There were many appealable errors in terms of facts and law, and the Court went through the various errors present during the course of the proceedings and in the judgments,' he said.
Datuk Hisyam also expressed appreciation to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo and prominent Malaysian lawyer and human rights advocate Ambiga Sreenevasan, who were part of the legal team representing Mr Syed Saddiq at the High Court.
The Court of Appeal has acquitted Mr Syed Saddiq in the RM1.2 million graft case involving funds from Armada Bersatu.
A three-judge panel chaired by Justice Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim unanimously allowed his appeal after finding that the trial judge had committed errors warranting appellate intervention.
The other judges on the panel were Justices Azman Abdullah and Noorin Badaruddin. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.