KUALA LUMPUR – The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court has granted Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin temporary passport release, allowing the former prime minister to travel to Australia to visit a family member who is battling cancer.
It was reported that judge Azura Alwi allowed the application put forth by defence counsel Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, as deputy public prosecutor Nor Asma Ahmad raised no objections to the temporary passport release bid.
“The reason as stated in the affidavit is to visit a close member of the family in Australia who is in remission for bowel cancer,” the lawyer told the criminal court.
Muhyiddin will be allowed to use his passport beginning today until May 28.
Previously, his passport had been surrendered to the criminal court as part of the bail conditions related to his pending Jana Wibawa case.
Azura also scheduled June 13 to hear Muhyiddin’s application to stay proceedings at the lower court, pending disposal of the accused’s review application to quash the four power abuse charges, which is set for hearing before the Court of Appeal on July 9, Malaysiakini reported.
Muhyiddin, then 76-years-old and serving as prime minister and Bersatu president, faced charges of leveraging his position to solicit bribes totalling RM232.5 million from three companies – Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd and Mamfor Sdn Bhd – as well as from one Datuk Azman Yusoff on behalf of the party.
He is accused of committing the alleged offence at the Prime Minister’s Office, Perdana Putra, Federal Government Administration Centre in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020 and August 20, 2021.
Muhyiddin also faces two charges of receiving illegal proceeds amounting to RM195 million from Bukhary Equity, deposited into Bersatu’s CIMB Bank account. – May 8, 2024