Teresa Kok (PH-Seputeh) pointed out that the Kuala Lumpur High Court delivered its verdict in Syed Saddiq’s corruption case on Nov 9 last year, with the court records indicating that the judge had said the judgment would be available within a week of sentencing.

However, she said, the judgment is still unavailable a year later and this has created challenges for Syed Saddiq in his appeal process.

“We haven’t heard any updates. Case management has been postponed six times because the written judgment is still incomplete.

“So, a delay of over a year is akin to unfair punishment for Muar (Syed Saddiq). I am requesting that the government take steps to expedite the release of the written judgment,” she said when debating the Supply Bill 2025 at the committee level in the Dewan Rakyat today.

FMT previously reported lawyer Salim Bashir as saying it is mandatory under the law for judges to furnish written grounds for their decisions in criminal cases to facilitate the appeal process.

Salim said the requirement is contained in the Criminal Procedure Code and the rules governing procedure in the superior courts.

Syed Saddiq’s appeal to the Court of Appeal from conviction and sentence for corruption remains stalled as the High Court has yet to make its written grounds available.

Justice Azhar Abdul Hamid had on Nov 9 last year orally pronounced the former youth and sports minister guilty of abetting criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of assets and money laundering, saying the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Both the prosecution and defence had made their closing submissions in April last year.

Syed Saddiq was sentenced to five years in prison and fined RM10 million, and was ordered to be given two strokes of the rotan. He filed his appeal on the same day.