MUDA’S supreme council is expected to meet soon to decide whether president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman should stand in the general election, after Kuala Lumpur High Court today ordered him to enter his defence on four criminal charges.

The former youth and sports minister told reporters outside the court the matter will have to be brought to the party to decide, but he did not say when the meeting would be as nomination day for the polls is less than a week away.

He also said it “depends on the people of Muar” whether he should defend the seat.

“Whatever it is, I need to bring this issue to the party. I am a person who is loyal to the party and principles come first in politics.”

He said the meeting would be called as soon as possible.

Asked whether the court’s decision today will affect the Muda chances in the general election, Syed Saddiq said he will leave it to the people to judge.

Syed Saddiq was charged with abetting in criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of assets and money laundering.

He was accused of conspiring with then Bersatu Youth wing assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was entrusted with funds of RM1 million, to commit criminal breach of trust by misusing the funds at CIMB Bank, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020.

As the then-Bersatu Youth chief, Syed Saddiq was also entrusted with control of the funds.

Judicial Commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid in his ruling said the prosecution succeeded in proving the 29 year-old had a case to answer.

Azhar fixed 10 days for the trial from February 22 to April 14 next year.

Lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo said Syed Saddiq would testify from the witness box and the defence would present 14 witnesses.

Syed Saddiq said he would “explain the truth” and the trial would give him the opportunity to give a sworn witness statement.

“It is an opportunity to tell my side of the story so that justice can win.”

Despite the legal setback, he remained defiant and reiterated that it would not dampen his spirit to continue fighting for the people and to make politics clean, which was the reason why he entered public life.

Syed Saddiq was also charged with misusing RM120,000 from the bank account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise for himself, by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking Bhd at Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and April 21, 2018.

He faces another two counts of money laundering involving two transactions of RM50,000 each, believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, transferred from his Maybank Islamic Berhad account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account at a bank in Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018. – October 28, 2022.