PETALING JAYA: Muda president and Muar incumbent MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman is eligible to contest in the coming general election as he has yet to be convicted in a court of law.
Lawyer Amer Hamzah said those who are convicted with a jail sentence of not less than one year or a fine of not less than RM2,000 are barred from standing as a candidate in the election.
“Under Art 48(1)(e) of the Federal Constitution, only a convicted person who has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine of not less than RM2,000 and has not received a free pardon will not be eligible to contest in the 15th General Election.
“Therefore, Syed Saddiq, Umno president and incumbent Bagan Datuk MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and incumbent Baling MP Datuk Seri Azeez Rahim, for instance, are eligible to contest in the election,” said Amer when contacted.
Yesterday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered Syed Saddiq to enter his defence on four corruption charges after finding the prosecution had successfully proven prima facie in the case.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Dr Mazlan Ali said although it is legal for Syed Saddiq to contest in the polls despite being asked to enter his defence on corruption charges, it is deemed not to be “pretty”.
“The fact that the court has instructed him to enter defence shows that the prosecutors have proven a case against him. He can stand for the polls as he has yet to be convicted.
“However, from the moral viewpoint, it does not look very pretty. It would be magnanimous of him to give way to others in his party.
“Being instructed to enter his defence may imply that he is not corruption-free and is flawed because the case was not thrown out.
“He has always championed issues on anti-corruption in politics. It is going to be difficult for him as he has become part of the ‘court cluster’ of politicians,” said Mazlan.
