Federal Court upholds Syed Saddiq acquittal in RM1m Armada case with split 2–1 ruling

Federal Court upholds Syed Saddiq acquittal in RM1m Armada case with split 2–1 ruling



The Federal Court today upheld Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s acquittal on four criminal charges linked to RM1 million in Armada funds after dismissing the prosecution’s appeal in a 2-1 majority decision. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

First Published: Monday, 13 Jul 2026 11:12 AM MYT
Last Modified: Monday, 13 Jul 2026 12:20 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, July 13 — The Federal Court today upheld Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s acquittal on four criminal charges linked to RM1 million in Armada funds after dismissing the prosecution’s appeal in a 2-1 majority decision.

Federal Court judges Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah agreed to dismiss the prosecution’s appeal, affirming last year’s Court of Appeal ruling that acquitted the former youth and sports minister.

Court of Appeal President Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais dissented, finding that the Court of Appeal had erred and that Syed Saddiq should have been convicted on three of the four charges.

However, with the majority ruling against him, Abu Bakar acknowledged that his views did not prevail.


“In conclusion, I find no appealable error on the part of the Court of Appeal. Despite all the charges and reasons given above, each of these appeals are dismissed,” Abu Bakar said when reading the majority judgment.

Earlier, Abu Bakar said the conviction and sentence he proposed had become “immaterial” as the other two judges did not agree with him.

“The conviction and sentence on the second, third and fourth charges become immaterial as the learned judges are not with me. They are very much entitled to do so as judges of this court,” he said.


Addressing the delay in delivering the judgment after Ruzima fell ill when the ruling was initially scheduled earlier this month, Abu Bakar said judges were “ordinary human beings”.

“Although we are judges, we are also ordinary human beings. Sometimes we are healthy, sometimes we are not. That happens,” he said.

He also noted that the court was aware Syed Saddiq had plans following the decision.

“We observe and know what is happening around us. We know the respondent has plans after this. We know that. We know this majority decision is in your favour and we hope your plans can now proceed,” Abu Bakar said alluding to Syed Saddiq’s supposed plans to get married to fiancée social media starlet Bella Astillah

Before reading his judgment, Abu Bakar reminded those present that all three written judgments should be read before drawing conclusions.

“Many people do not understand the process. Listening to only one judgment is insufficient. Listen to all three decisions first, then you will see the decision in its entirety,” he said.

He also urged parties to refrain from making unnecessary public statements over the earlier postponement of the verdict after Ruzima went on medical leave.

“We cannot defend ourselves from criticism because judges cannot answer publicly. But I advise the parties not to make statements they are not supposed to make,” he said.

In his dissenting judgment, Abu Bakar said the prosecution had proven the dishonest misappropriation and money laundering charges.

He proposed a sentence of six months’ imprisonment and one stroke of the cane for the dishonest misappropriation charge.

For each of the two money laundering charges, he would also have imposed six months’ imprisonment and a RM5 million fine, with a two-year jail term in default of payment.

Ruzima, however, found that the Court of Appeal had correctly concluded that the prosecution failed to establish all four charges.

On the first charge of abetting criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million, he said the withdrawal of funds alone did not amount to criminal breach of trust and that Bersatu’s constitution merely governed the party’s internal affairs.

“The Bersatu constitution is not law. It is a set of rules governing members of the political party. Any non-compliance would attract disciplinary action unless it also amounts to an offence under the law,” he said.

He said the prosecution had failed to establish the principal offence of criminal breach of trust and therefore could not prove the abetment charge against Syed Saddiq.

Collin concurred with Ruzima’s findings, giving the majority needed to dismiss the prosecution’s appeal.

Syed Saddiq was present in court with his legal team led by Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, while the prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.

When the verdict was read the hall broke into a small applause. Bella was seen giving a sigh of relief as she sat beside Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh who has been in court to support Syed Saddiq regularly.