Zahid free to fly for medical treatment after two courts allow temporary return of passport

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is now free to fly to Germany to seek medical treatment after two courts agreed to temporarily release his passport.

Earlier Monday (Oct 11), Shah Alam High Court judge Justice Mohd Yazid Mustafa had allowed Ahmad Zahid's application for the temporary return of his passport.

Ahmad Zahid's lawyer, Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, had said that the temporary release of the passport would not affect Ahmad Zahid’s next trial date, which is on Oct 22.

A similar application was made on Oct 7 by lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh, who is part of Ahmad Zahid’s defence team, before the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

Hamidi sought for his client’s passport to be released on Oct 26 and for it to be returned on Nov 21.

He had informed Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah then that Ahmad Zahid needed to get treatment from a leading specialist in Munich for his back and neck pain.

On Monday afternoon (Oct 11), the Kuala Lumpur High Court also allowed Ahmad Zahid's application for the temporary release of his passport.

Justice Sequerah however imposed a condition that Ahmad Zahid must have a second bailor.

"The application is allowed with the condition of extra surety for the bail and also to clarify the purpose (for the temporary release of passport) is for the surgery and he (Ahmad Zahid) is confined to Germany alone," the judge said.

Hamidi said a friend of Ahmad Zahid, who was present in court, was ready to step up as the second bailor.

The submissions in Ahmad Zahid’s graft trial involving millions in funds from Yayasan Akalbudi continued this afternoon before Justice Sequerah.