Overview

• The three-judge panel unanimously allowed Syed Saddiq’s appeal against convictions for criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving Armada Bersatu funds.
• Justice Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim led the panel that found the trial judge failed to properly assess defence evidence before convicting the former youth and sports minister.
• Justice Noorin Badaruddin highlighted the absence of proof that former Armada assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali withdrew RM1 million dishonestly.
• Syed Saddiq was originally convicted in November 2023 for misappropriation of RM1.12 million and faced two counts of money laundering over RM50,000 transactions.
• Observers say the verdict has fuelled concerns over political motivations in high-profile graft prosecutions and the robustness of Malaysia’s judicial scrutiny.