THE High Court in Kuala Lumpur today ordered Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to enter his defence on charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of assets and money laundering.

Judicial Commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid said the prosecution had proved that there was sufficient evidence against the Muar MP to require him to enter a defence.

On September 27, the prosecution closed its case after calling 30 witnesses in the trial, which began on June 21.

The former youth and sports minister, 29, was charged as the then-Bersatu Youth wing chief entrusted with control of its funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim with CBT of RM1 million belonging to the wing on March 6, 2020.

The charge, under section 406 of the penal code, provides of imprisonment for up to 10 years with whipping and is liable with fine, if found guilty.

He was also charged under section 403 of the penal code with siphoning RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise for personal use, between April 8 and 21, 2018.

Syed Saddiq faces imprisonment of up to five years with whipping and is liable with fine, if found guilty.

He also faced two counts of money laundering, and faces imprisonment for up to 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of the unlawful activity, if found guilty.

Deputy public prosecutors Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Mohd ’Afif Ali prosecuted, while lawyers Gobind Singh Deo and Haijan Omar represented Syed Saddiq.

Following the ruling, Gobind informed the court that Syed Saddiq would be giving a sworn statement and calling 15 witnesses.

The court fixed the subsequent hearings to February 22-24, March 13-14 and April 10-14.

Syed Saddiq had arrived at the court along with his parents and Muda secretary-general Amir Hariri Abd Hadi, as well as a group of well-wishers. – October 28, 2022.