PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) has vowed to prove detractors wrong and ensure the party is not dead and buried without founding president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
Acting president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz said the party's resilience was rooted in its political movement, which is not centred around individuals but driven by ideology and policies aimed at propelling the nation forward.
"I suppose, to our burden, it is our responsibility to prove that those comments are wrong and that Muda is bigger than one person (Syed Saddiq) only.
"Well, even before Syed Saddiq was convicted and even before he stepped aside from being the party's president, Muda has always been bigger than just Syed Saddiq himself," she told reporters.
Amira Aisya said this when asked to comment on local media reports saying Syed Saddiq's conviction on graft-related charges would mark the end of his political career and his party.
She said Muda, which was formed in September 2020, had capable leaders among its members.
These, she added, can lead the party into the future without having to rely on their former president.
"There are a lot of other people among the leadership in Muda, beyond Syed Saddiq and beyond myself, who can carry this party forward.
"I think it's very important for us to show to the public, to show to the people and also mainly to show to the members of Muda, that this party is not about the movement of an individual only, but rather (it goes) beyond it," she added.
Syed Saddiq had, on Nov 9, stepped down as Muda president.
The move came after the Muar member of parliament was convicted on charges of abetting criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of property and money laundering by the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
The court, however, granted him a stay of execution pending appeal to the Court of Appeal.
Syed Saddiq remains a member of Muda and the party's sole MP, but will no longer be involved in any party decisions.
