Syed Saddiq claims trial to 2 more charges

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman today claimed trial to two new charges amounting to RM100,000 under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

He claimed trial when the charges were read out to him before judge Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail at the Sessions Court in Johor Bahru today.

Syed Saddiq, the former youth and sports minister, was accused of involvement in money laundering through two transfers of RM50,000 from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account to his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account, said to be the proceeds of illegal activities.

He was accused of committing the offences at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The charges were made under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

If convicted, Syed Saddiq could face a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the sum of proceeds of unlawful activities.

Last month, he was charged with criminal breach of trust and misusing donations meant for the 2018 general election.

He was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with misappropriating RM1 million belonging to his former party Bersatu and of misusing RM120,000 collected for Bersatu Youth for the 2018 polls.

He claimed trial to the charges, brought under Sections 405 and 406 of the Penal Code.

The judge today allowed Syed Saddiq the RM330,000 bail with one surety set by the Kuala Lumpur court and told him to surrender his passport until completion of the case and to report to the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office once a month.

The prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and MACC deputy public prosecutors Ahmad Akram Gharib and Mohd Afif Ali.

Syed Saddiq was represented by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo.