Muda's future with Syed Saddiq hinges on court decision tomorrow
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was convicted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in November 2023 of abetting in criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of assets and money laundering.
PETALING JAYA : Muda's future with its former president, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, will depend on the outcome of his appeal against his conviction and sentence for corruption and money laundering charges, which will be announced tomorrow.
Acting Muda president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz told FMT that although the Muar MP had not held the party's presidency since he stepped down in 2023, he remained a key figure in Muda due to his role as its founder and sole representative in Parliament.
Amira also said that Muda currently has no plans to appoint a new president as party elections are expected to be held soon.
'For now, there is nothing urgent that requires us to fill the position. We'll leave it to the members to decide,' she said.
'If everything goes smoothly, it will be up to Syed Saddiq to decide whether or not he wants to run again (for president).'
Syed Saddiq was convicted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court of abetting in criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of assets and money laundering in November 2023.
The former youth and sports minister was sentenced to seven years' jail, fined RM10 million and ordered to be given two strokes of the rotan. The sentences have been stayed pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal.
He announced later that he would temporarily step down as Muda president and would not be involved in the party's decision-making processes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Cancelled HSR a missed opportunity to unite nations, says S'pore opposition leader
Singapore opposition leader Pritam Singh said the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail project had the potential to transform the way Malaysians and Singaporeans connect. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh said today the cancelled Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project was a missed opportunity to strengthen ties between both countries. Speaking on the 'Keluar Sekejap' podcast hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan, Pritam said the 350km rail line had the potential to transform the way Malaysians and Singaporeans connect. 'I think what would have been the cherry on the cake was the high-speed rail. It would have brought real changes. 'High-speed rail changes a lot of things; distances become so much shorter. It's a pity that it was shelved,' he said. The HSR, which would have cut travel time between KL and Singapore to 90 minutes, was cancelled in 2021 after both sides failed to agree on proposed changes. However, both governments have recently signalled a willingness to revisit the project. During the leaders' retreat in January, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Putrajaya was open to reviving the HSR if it was fully funded by the private sector, while his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong said his government was open to listening to new proposals. Beyond infrastructure, Pritam urged Singaporeans to engage more deeply with Malaysia, suggesting student exchanges with Malaysian universities instead of favouring the US or UK. The Workers' Party secretary-general said Malaysia and Singapore were closely connected and should focus on practical cooperation. 'We are conjoined at the hip. A successful Malaysia benefits Singapore. We need more interaction, not less,' he said. Asked about public attitudes, Pritam said some Singaporeans might come across as unfriendly, but most of them valued Malaysia. 'You go and speak to a Singaporean on the street and ask, 'Do you like going to Johor Bahru?' Of course they do, even if it's just for a short trip,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
JAC questioned senior judge on alleged judicial interference, says source
At the opening of the legal year in January, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat warned that any attempt to interfere with the JAC's independent functions would constitute a criminal offence. PETALING JAYA : A senior judge was summoned by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to answer several allegations of interference in the appointment of judicial officers dating back to last year, says a source. 'Following the questioning, there was a heated discussion at last month's monthly meeting of the JAC, which is now split into two factions, with one sympathetic to the judge,' the source told FMT, declining to provide further details. Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat chairs the nine-member JAC. Other members include Court of Appeal president Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, Chief Judge of Malaya Hasnah Hashim, and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli. These four are members of the JAC by virtue of holding the top administrative positions in the judiciary. In February, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appointed senior Federal Court judge Zabariah Yusof to the JAC under Section 5(1)(e) of the JAC Act 2009. Last year, Anwar also appointed former attorney-general Idrus Harun, former Federal Court judge Zainun Ali, former Sarawak attorney-general Mahmood Abdul Rashid, and academician Hartini Saripan to the JAC. Meanwhile, a subordinate of the judge concerned lodged a police report two weeks ago against a reporter from a news portal who had sent a text message seeking the judge's response to the allegations of interference. In the report filed at the Putrajaya police station and sighted by FMT, the officer said the journalist's questions pertained to matters discussed at the May 16 JAC meeting. 'This report is being made to urge the authorities to investigate how such information was leaked,' the officer stated. At the opening of the legal year in January, Tengku Maimun warned that any attempt to interfere with the JAC's independent functions would constitute a criminal offence. She said Section 34 of the JAC Act stated that any person found guilty of influencing or attempting to influence the commission could face a fine of up to RM100,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. Speaking on judicial appointments, Tengku Maimun reiterated that only the JAC and the prime minister were authorised to recommend candidates for positions in the superior courts. She added that bypassing the provisions of the JAC Act could render such appointments unconstitutional or unlawful.
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Varsity student claims trial to outraging woman's modesty at MRT station
In seeking bail at the Kuala Lumpur magistrates' court, lawyer Sufi Sukor said Hafiz Damian Abdul Qawwiy was a first-time offender and posed no risk of becoming a fugitive. (Pexels pic) PETALING JAYA : A 19-year-old student at a private university has claimed trial in the Kuala Lumpur magistrates' court to a charge of outraging the modesty of a woman at an MRT station in Cheras. Hafiz Damian Abdul Qawwiy pleaded not guilty after the charge was read before magistrate Atiqah Mohamed, Berita Harian reported. He was charged with making a gesture intended to insult the modesty of the 28-year-old woman at the Taman Pertama MRT station at 8.53pm on Sunday. The charge framed under Section 509 of the Penal Code is punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine, or both, upon conviction. Sufi Sukor from the national legal aid foundation, who represented Hafiz, sought bail of RM1,000 for the accused, saying Hafiz was a first-time offender and needed to sit for an examination soon. Sufi added that the accused had fully cooperated with the police and posed no risk of becoming a fugitive. 'His stepfather is here to post bail and has RM1,000.' The magistrate allowed him to post bail at RM1,000 and ordered him to report to the police station every month. She fixed Aug 18 for mention.
