Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Member of Parliament for Muar in Johor, has retained the services of former Solicitor-General II, Mohd Yusof Zainal Abidin and senior lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik for his appeal against his corruption conviction, reported Malaysian news agency Bernama on Jan. 18. 2024.

The move followed a cabinet reshuffle on Dec. 12, 2023, where Saddiq's previous lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo was appointed digital minister.

What happened

Saddiq, 30, who is a former youth and sports minister in the first Pakatan Harapan government, as well as former leader of Malaysian youth-orientated political party MUDA, was found guilty of misappropriating funds belonging to Armada, the youth wing of his former party Bersatu.

The trial had been ongoing since Jun. 21, 2022, before the current Anwar government came into power.

Saddiq was found guilty of four charges by the Malaysian High Court on Nov. 9, 2023, and was sentenced to seven years in jail, two strokes of the cane, as well as a RM10 million fine (S$2.9 million).

However, Saddiq has been granted a stay of execution pending appeal.

Mohd Yusof represented Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 2012

Alex Tan Chie Sian from Messrs Wong Kian Kheong confirmed to Bernama that their law firm has taken over as Saddiq's solicitors in the appeal with Mohd Yusof as the leading counsel.

Mohd Yusof was the third most senior senior lawyer in the Attorney General's Office after the Attorney General, during his former time as a Solicitor General II.

A Solicitor General II is a role created to assist the Attorney General in their duties, and is empowered to exercise the powers of the Attorney General unless expressly provided otherwise in any written law, according to the website of Attorney General's Chambers Malaysia.

Mohd Yusof represented Anwar Ibrahim, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia, in 2012 for the BERSIH 3.0 assembly. The assembly was the largest democratic protest in Malaysia and Anwar was charged for allegedly participating in the assembly.

Mohd Yusof's switch to become Anwar's lawyer caused a stir at that time, since he was the same lawyer who had led the prosecution team against Anwar in the second sodomy trial.

Initially had Gobind Singh Deo

Saddiq's former lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo was previously a Member of Parliament since 2008.

He was also former Pakatan Harapan minister under Mahathir, and had served as Communications and Multimedia Minister from 2018 to 2020.

Following his appointment as minister, Mohd Yusof left his post as Saddiq's lead counsel as he is no longer able to defend the former MUDA president.

Saddiq's involvement in politics

Saddiq was expelled from the ruling Bersatu party in May 2020, alongside Mahathir Mohamad, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia and former Chairman of Bersatu.

At that time, Saddiq was Minister for Youth and Sport for the party.

He then started MUDA, also known as the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance, in the same year.

On Nov. 9, 2023, Saddiq stood down as MUDA president following his convictions on corruption charges and said his resignation as party leader was a matter of principle.

He also said he owed it to the people of Malaysia and his party to clear his name before continuing his involvement in the party.

Top image via Free Malaysia Today's YouTube