KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has fixed Nov 25 to hear an application by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who is seeking to transfer his four charges involving criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of funds and money laundering from the Sessions Court.

       Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir told the press that the date was fixed by High Court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas when the matter came up for case management on Wednesday (Aug 25).

       He said the application would be heard before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan in open court.

       On Aug 19, Syed Saddiq, a former youth and sports minister, applied for his cases to be transferred to the High Court through a notice of application filed by Messrs Haijan Omar & Co.

       He said there were constitutional issues that would arise in the case and it was more appropriate for the cases to be tried in the High Court.

       He also asked for the proceedings at the Sessions Court to be adjourned pending the outcome of the transfer application.

       Syed Saddiq was charged as Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Youth (Armada) chief at the time and entrusted with control of Armada funds, with committing CBT by withdrawing RM1mil through a CIMB Bank Berhad cheque without obtaining permission from the Bersatu supreme council.

       He was charged with committing the offence at the CIMB Bank Berhad branch at Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, here on March 6 last year.

       The charge under Section 405 of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 406 of the same code, provides maximum imprisonment of 10 years with whipping, and a possible fine, if convicted.

       He also faces a charge of misusing RM120,000 in donations meant for the 14th General Election campaign collected through the Maybank Islamic Berhad account owned by Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise.

       The act was allegedly committed at Maybank Islamic Berhad, Taman Pandan Jaya here, between April 8 and 21, 2018, under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to five years with whipping and a possible fine, if convicted.

       On Aug 5, at the Johor Baru Sessions Court, Syed Saddiq was charged with two counts of engaging in money laundering activities, namely two transactions of RM50,000 from his Maybank Islamic Berhad account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account, the funds believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.

       He was alleged to have committed the acts at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru on June 16 and 19, 2018.

       The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which is punishable under Section 4(1) of the same act, providing maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or proceeds of illegal activities.

       The court allowed the prosecution's application to transfer the case to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.