KUALA LUMPUR – Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh is confident that Muda president and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will make it through the tribulations following the high court deeming him guilty of graft allegations.
In a post today on X, formerly Twitter, Yeoh, who is also DAP’s Segambut MP, expressed her sadness over the situation Syed Saddiq now finds himself in as he faces seven years in jail, two strokes of the cane, and a RM10 million fine.
“On a personal front, I’m very sad for my friend, Syed Saddiq. But, I am also aware that the law has its processes which must be respected, and Syed Saddiq is known to be a fighter,” she said in the brief post.
On a personal front, am very sad for my friend @SyedSaddiq. But I am also aware that the law has its process which must be respected and @SyedSaddiq is known to be a fighter.
— Hannah Yeoh (@hannahyeoh) November 9, 2023
Other DAP representatives, however, appear to be reserving their comments for now on Syed Saddiq’s guilty verdict.
When asked for comments on the matter during a press conference outside the Brickfields district police headquarters here, DAP Youth chief Dr Kelvin Yii, who is also Bandar Kuching MP, merely said: “We trust the court’s judgment.”
Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi briefly said that statements on Syed Saddiq’s verdict will be issued at a later time.
The press conference was held after Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid lodged a police report against PAS’ Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad after the latter failed to retract allegedly slanderous statements against, among others, DAP stalwart Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang.
Meanwhile, the high court here today found Syed Saddiq guilty on all counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), money laundering, and misappropriating funds worth RM1.12 million. Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid found no merit in his defence.
Syed Saddiq has been sentenced to nine years in jail, two lashes of the whip, and a RM10 million fine. However, he will serve a total of seven years in jail as the sentences for money laundering will run concurrently.
The sentencing covers three years in jail and one stroke of the whip for CBT, and two years in jail and one stroke of the rotan for fund misappropriation. For each of the two money laundering convictions, the court sentenced Syed Saddiq to two years in jail, a RM5 million fine, and two years in jail if he fails to pay the fine. – November 9, 2023