Deny Muhyiddin permanent access to passport, court hears

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin still has to face three money laundering charges and his application to have his passport returned permanently should be rejected as there is a risk of him fleeing, the Sessions Court here heard on Friday (Nov 17).

Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Wai Keong said that the former prime minister should file an application in court for the temporary release of his passport if he needs to travel abroad.

"There is no issue for the permanent release of the passport worth considering. I stress that the applicant's (Muhyiddin) application is unfounded, unreasonable and inconvenient to the court process. The charges against the applicant are very serious," Lim said in a counter-affidavit to Muhyiddin's application for the court to change the bond bail imposed on him so that his passport, which was surrendered to the Sessions Court as a bail condition, be released unconditionally.

Regarding the money laundering charge, Lim said that the charges can stand on their own, even though the predicate charges (charges of using a position) have been quashed by the High Court.

On Aug 15, the High Court here acquitted Muhyiddin of four charges of using his position for bribes, amounting to RM232.5mil, for Bersatu, related to the Jana Wibawa project, after allowing Muhyiddin's application to drop all the charges.

Lim, in the affidavit, denied the existence of a material change of circumstances and injustice to the applicant if the surety bond conditions were maintained, because the conditions had been agreed upon by the applicant himself before and had been duly considered by the court.

"The applicant has never failed to appear in court, but every time (the court) fixed a date for the mention, the applicant also applied for exemption from attending court and the respondent (prosecution) has also never objected to the exemption application," he said.

According to Lim, despite the bond's additional conditions, the applicant can still continue his daily life and the applicant's rights are still protected under the Federal Constitution.

Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, in his Oct 16 application said that he had planned a holiday with his family abroad and that the holiday was important for him to spend time with his family as this year was a very stressful year for him and his family.

In addition, Muhyiddin also intends to undergo a heart examination at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.

The court set Nov 23 to hear Muhyiddin's application.

The Pagoh MP faces two charges of receiving money amounting to RM195mil from illegal activities, from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, which was deposited into Bersatu's CIMB Bank account.

He is alleged to have committed the act at CIMB Bank Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral, here, between Feb 25 and July 16, 2021, and Feb 8 and July 8, 2022.

Muhyiddin was also charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court on March 13, with receiving money from illegal activities, amounting to RM5mil, and the case was transferred to the Sessions Court here for a joint trial.

On Oct 2, Muhyiddin filed an application for a discharge not amounting to acquittal of the three charges. – Bernama