Tuesday 12 March 2024

PN’s political roadshow: Syed Saddiq’s Reformasi 2.0?

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PN’s political roadshow: Syed Saddiq’s Reformasi 2.0?

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13, 2024: Politically oppressed former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman is contemplating joining Perikatan Nasional (PN)’s nationwide roadshow after Hari Raya Aidil Fitri..

The former Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda president) resigned as party leader soon after the High Court jailed him seven years and ordered him to be given two strokes of the rotan (cane) for abetting criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of property and two counts of money laundering on Nov 9, 2023.

Syed Saddiq, the current Muar MP, is seen as being politically oppressed because the sentences were considered extremely harsh compared to many kleptocrats who stole or misappropriated multi-millions or billions of Ringgit.

If Syed Saddiq joins the roadshow, he will likely be seen as a poster boy for Reformasi 2.0, taking over from where the 10th Prime Minister and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim left off.

Anwar and his so-called Madani Unity Government (UG) have only themselves to blame when/if that happens in the next general election (GE16) due in 2027.

There are talks that Syed Saddiq’s political misery and dilemma started soon after he was appointed Youth And Sports Minister by the racist Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

It is said that Syed Saddiq incurred the wrath of Umno when he dropped all Umno’s appointees in the ministry.

Anwar may live to regret the oppression of Syed Saddiq and his preference for Umno, a politically untrustworthy band of politicians - two-headed snakes playing multi-racial and racial-religious politics at the same time.

Even if PN does not give Syed Saddiq and Muda seats to contest in GE16, it can command sizeable support when voters need to choose between Muda’s candidates and, racial and religious bigots.

It is indeed a political dilemma and loss for Malaysians that Syed Saddiq is pushed to PN which is led by the unpatriotic racist Muhyiddin “I Am Malay First” Yassin.

No News Is Bad News reproduces below news reports on the political development:

PN roadshow a platform for Syed Saddiq to regain relevance, says analyst

Chia Wan Rou

-13 Mar 2024, 09:09 AM

However, Salawati Mat Basir says the former Muda president may have missed the boat as the people want solutions, not just explanations, for the cost of living.

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has said he will discuss with Muda’s leadership before joining Perikatan Nasional’s national tour.

PETALING JAYA: Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s participation in a Perikatan Nasional (PN) tour series across the country could be an attempt to regain prominence in the political arena, analysts say as the Muar MP mulls joining the nationwide tour planned by the opposition coalition.

Salawati Mat Basir of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said making use of the PN platform might be a strategic move for the former Muda president after having been sidelined on various issues.

“He’s talented, but was too enthusiastic and not cautious enough during his tenure as (youth and sports) minister, hence his unfortunate fate after,” Salawati told FMT.

“Perhaps the safest way for Syed Saddiq to reassert himself is through PN, so he’s giving it a shot.

“There’s nothing wrong with that (plan), we just have to wait and see if the people are willing to pay attention (to him).”

However, she said Syed Saddiq had missed the chance to win over the people who were now focused on finding solutions, not just explanations, for cost of living issues.

“At this point, what the people truly want is tangible action from the government to address the high cost of living. It’s a waste of time to ‘tour’ if the people don’t come,” she said.

Meanwhile, Azmi Hassan from Akademi Nusantara said joining the PN tour would not breathe new life into Syed Saddiq’s political career, although it could create a “win-win situation” for both Muda and PN.

Speaking to FMT, he said Muda needed strong coalition support after being “rejected” by Pakatan Harapan.

“Muda doesn’t have much choice but to join PN’s tour. In this case, Muda will gain support through PN; likewise, PN, which struggles to attract non-Malay support, will be assisted by the youth party,” he said.

On Saturday, PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the coalition had agreed to hold a nationwide tour after the fasting month to highlight the issues faced by the people and what PN could do.

“Many, including Syed Saddiq from Muda, have suggested we do this, and he is ready to participate,” Muhyiddin said.

However, Muda secretary-general Amir Hadi denied that the party would be involved in the roadshow, saying the matter had not been discussed by the executive council.


Syed Saddiq gets 7 years' jail, caning and RM10m fine for financial crimes [NSTTV]

By Rahmat Khairulrijal - November 9, 2023 @ 11:56am


KUALA LUMPUR: Muar member of parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was sentenced to seven years jail and two strokes of the cane for charges of abetting criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of property and two counts of money laundering.

High Court judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid also imposed a fine of RM10 million in default four years jail against the Muda president after he ruled that the defence had failed to cast reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case today.

The court sentenced him to three years jail and one stroke of the cane for abetting CBT involving RM1 million of the Bersatu Youth (Armada)'s funds.

The accused is also facing two years imprisonment and one stroke of the cane for misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise.

Syed Saddiq also was sentenced to two years in jail and a fine of RM5 million in default two years jail for each money laundering charge. The court ordered the sentence to run concurrently.

However, the court allowed Syed Saddiq's application for a stay of execution pending his appeal at the Court of Appeal.

Earlier, counsel Haijan Omar who appeared for the accused pleaded for a minimum sentence by stating that his client was remorseful and regretted the offence.

"My client had contributed a lot for the nation when he served as a former youth and sports minister and the current Muar MP.

"While in office, he was tasked with leading the historic constitutional amendment known as Undi 18 in which the minimum voting age was lowered from 21 to 18.

"Syed Saddiq who is the youngest of four siblings and needs to support his parents.

"He is also a first offender," he said.

Syed Saddiq's lead defence lawyer Gobind Singh Deo added his client did not receive any benefit from the money related to the charges.

"Evidence also indicates that the money was used to assist people during the pandemic," he said.

Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin asked the court to impose a deterrent sentence against the accused.

"This case involves public interest and the trust of the younger generation who voted for the accused.

"When you consider a sentence, public interest comes to play.

"Nowadays, too many politicians are accused of breaching trust and so on.

"We need a deterrent sentence so other politicians will think twice when they want to commit the same crime," he added.

On Oct 28 last year, Syed Saddiq was ordered to enter his defence after the court ruled that the prosecution had successfully adduced credible evidence proving each essential ingredient of the offences.

On July 22, 2021, Syed Saddiq was charged, as the then Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Armada wing chief who was entrusted with control of Armada funds, with abetting Bersatu assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razalifor for committing criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM1 million of the organisation's funds.

He was also charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.

He was also charged with two counts of engaging in money laundering in two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

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