The former youth and sports minister was convicted of corruption
Malaysian Minister of Youth and Sports Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (center) speaking at a press conference in June 2019. © Adli Ghazali/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
A former government minister was sentenced to being flogged and seven years in prison in Malaysia for corruption, local media reported on Thursday.
Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, the former youth and sports minister, was convicted on charges of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of assets and two counts of money laundering.
The 30-year-old will get two strokes of the cane, making him the first politician to receive a flogging sentence, the reports said.
Apart from the caning and a 7-year jail term, Syed Saddiq was also fined an amount equivalent to $2.13 million. The former minister denied the charges and has filed an appeal.
Caning, being flogged with a moistened rattan cane, is a form of corporal punishment that convicted criminals may be sentenced to in Malaysia in addition to a prison term. It is used for a wide range of crimes including embezzlement, robbery, rape, and kidnaping.
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