Syed Saddiq to skip Johor election campaign after Federal Court ruling postponed

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will sit out the Johor election campaign as the Federal Court has postponed its decision on his appeal against an acquittal in his graft case involving Armada funds.

According to Free Malaysia Today, Syed Saddiq said the delay means he will now have to wait another two weeks before the court delivers its ruling, shifting his focus back to his ongoing legal battle.

He said the postponement came as a setback after years of court proceedings.

“Obviously, I hoped there would be finality today, especially after six gruelling years of seeking justice, but now I will have to wait another two weeks,” he told reporters at the Palace of Justice.

“During that time, I will continue working with my lawyers and family as we pursue the justice we seek in court. My priority is to clear my name,” he said.

Johor goes to the polls on July 11, just two days before the new date fixed for the Federal Court’s decision on July 13. Muda is contesting four state seats — Puteri Wangsa, Bukit Batu, Maharani and Simpang Jeram.

Earlier, The Star reported that the ruling was postponed after one of the Federal Court judges on the three-member panel, Justice Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, fell ill and was placed on medical leave.

Court of Appeal president Justice Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais, who chaired the panel, said the court could not proceed in the absence of the full bench.

“We are ready with the decision, but this is the unfortunate event that happened today,” he was quoted as saying.

Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, who leads the prosecution team, said such postponements were part of court proceedings.

“We, from the prosecution, pray for Justice Che Mohd Ruzima’s recovery. These things happen. We only need to be patient,” he said when contacted.

In 2021, Syed Saddiq was charged with abetting then Bersatu Youth assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was entrusted with RM1 million in Armada funds, to commit criminal breach of trust.

He was also accused of misusing RM120,000 from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise’s Maybank Islamic account between April 8 and 21, 2018.

The remaining two charges involve money laundering, each involving RM50,000, allegedly transferred into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account on June 16 and 19, 2018, in Johor Bahru.

On November 9, 2023, the High Court convicted him on all four charges, sentencing him to seven years’ imprisonment, two strokes of the rotan and a RM10 million fine.

However, on June 25 last year, the Court of Appeal unanimously acquitted him, overturning the conviction.

The prosecution subsequently filed an appeal to the Federal Court seeking to restore the High Court’s decision.