PUTRAJAYA: The two-day hearing of the appeal by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman at the Court of Appeal here has been extended by one day.
The appellate court fixed the extra day of hearing on April 17 after the proceedings ended yesterday.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, who was making his submissions, told the court that he was losing his voice.
Lawyer Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, who represented Syed Saddiq, had no objection.
The judges on the panel were Justices Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Azman Abdullah and Noorin Badaruddin.
Yesterday was the second day of Syed Saddiq’s appeal against his conviction and sentence in the RM1.2mil graft case involving funds from Armada, of which he was the then youth chief.
On Nov 9, 2023, the High Court found Syed Saddiq guilty of four charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of funds and money laundering involving RM1.2mil in 2018.
He was jailed seven years, fined RM10mil and given two strokes of the cane for all four charges.
After the adjournment yesterday, Syed Saddiq told reporters that he was frustrated by the delay but accepted the situation.
“It’s a lie if I say I’m not affected or not disappointed.
“I’ve been investigated and charged the past five years, but never once have I stopped the process to continue.
“I really wished that these last two days would be the end to this journey,” he said.
Syed Saddiq added that he would continue to fight to clear his name in the court.
The former youth and sports minister’s family and friends were present to give moral support.
Also spotted were acting Muda president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz and actress Bella Astillah.
Earlier in the day, the court heard Wan Shaharuddin’s submissions that Syed Saddiq had disguised his mala fide (bad intention) behind the excuse of political mileage when he ordered that RM1mil be taken out of Armada’s bank account.
Wan Shaharuddin submitted that a testimony from a key prosecution witness, Rafiq Hakim Razali, on Syed Saddiq’s purported political mileage was not challenged by the defence.
According to Rafiq, who was a former Armada assistant treasurer and the 13th prosecution witness (SP13), the RM1mil withdrawal on March 6, 2020, was related to the Sheraton Move and an attempt to gain political mileage for the appellant.
“SP13 also testified that another reason the appellant ordered him to withdraw the money was because it was the appellant’s own money.
“The appellant is treating the money in Armada’s account like his own that he could easily use without doing any paperwork or getting any approval from anyone.
“The trial judge had a valid reason to call the appellant to enter his defence so that he could explain to the judge and the rakyat why he said the money in Armada’s account was his rightful money to use,” added Wan Shaharuddin.
