by JOHOR BAHRU: Former Malaysian youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court on Thursday (Aug 5) to two charges of money laundering amounting to RM100,000 (US$23,700).
The 29-year-old Muar MP was accused of committing the offences three years ago before he became a minister in the Pakatan Harapan government in July 2018.
According to the charges, Syed Saddiq was alleged to have been involved in money laundering with two transactions of transferring RM50,000 each from his Maybank Islamic Berhad account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.
The charge sheet said that the money was allegedly obtained through money laundering activities and the offences were committed at a bank in Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, on Jun 16 and Jun 19, 2018.
Syed Saddiq was charged under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.
If found guilty, he could face a jail sentence of not more than 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum of the proceeds of an unlawful activity.
Syed Saddiq was allowed bail and his case will be mentioned again on Sep 10 at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
The prosecution requested for the case to be transferred to Kuala Lumpur as the prosecution witnesses were the same as the two earlier chargers against Syed Saddiq.
The prosecution was conducted by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutors Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Ahmad Akram Gharib and Mohd ‘Afif Al.
Syed Saddiq was represented by Mr Gobind Singh Deo, who is also Puchong MP.
