Syed Saddiq appeal ruling postponed to July 13 after Federal Court judge falls ill

PUTRAJAYA, June 30 — The Federal Court today postponed its decision on the prosecution’s appeal against Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s acquittal over four criminal charges involving Armada funds after one of the judges on the panel fell ill.

Court of Appeal President Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais, who chaired the three-member bench, was in the court room alone today and said the court could not deliver its ruling in the absence of Federal Court judge Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, who is on medical leave.

The panel also comprises Federal Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

“Justice Ruzima is not here as we were informed she is unwell and is taking time off to recover today and tomorrow.

“Given the circumstances, we cannot deliver our decision today. It would not be right to deliver the decision without one member of the panel,” Abu Bakar said in court.

He said the court had initially intended to hand down its decision today but was informed that Ruzima had been placed on medical leave for Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We were ready to deliver our decision, but this is the unfortunate event that happened today,” he said.

Abu Bakar said the panel would instead deliver its judgment on July 13, subject to the parties’ availability.

“We are ready to give our decision on July 13. That is the date we can deliver it. We in fact have the decision already but we will deliver the decision in July and not today,” he said.

He added that the court could have instructed the registry yesterday to notify the parties of the postponement, but the development came late in the day.

“We could have asked the registry to inform the parties that the decision could not be delivered today, but it was late in the day and I thought it would not be proper to do that.

“That is why I am here on the bench to inform everyone personally.”

The appeal was then fixed for decision on July 13.

The prosecution is appealing against the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit Syed Saddiq of four charges involving criminal breach of trust, dishonest misappropriation and money laundering linked to funds belonging to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) youth wing, Armada.

The Court of Appeal had overturned the High Court’s November 2023 conviction and sentence of seven years’ imprisonment, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine.