KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has obtained from the High Court a temporary release of his passport to go to the United Kingdom for a medical examination for pancreatic cancer and to spend time with his family.
Justice Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin allowed the application by Muhyiddin, 78, for the temporary release of his passport from Dec 8 to Jan 5.
Initially, the former prime minister had sought the release of his passport from today until Jan 12.
However, Justice Noor Ruwena said yesterday that the application was allowed on the condition that the period for the passport’s return was adjusted.
In her decision, the judge said there was no justification for Muhyiddin to transit in Dubai for five to six days before returning to Malaysia.
“The applicant may transit in Dubai for one to two days.
“The applicant booked his tickets before obtaining the court’s permission and, as such, he assumed the risk. This action would potentially open the ‘floodgates’ for similar applications,” she added.
Muhyiddin had previously succeeded in getting temporary access to his passport to, among others, attend his grandchild’s graduation ceremony, consult on his cancer condition in London, seek medical examination in Singapore and attend the opening of his friend’s restaurant in Thailand.
Earlier yesterday, Muhyiddin’s lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad informed the court that his client applied for the release of his passport to undergo his annual follow-up medical examination for pancreatic cancer in the United Kingdom.
He said Muhyiddin has three grandchildren who reside there, so he wanted to visit them.
“After his medical appointments are concluded, he also hopes to spend some time with his wife and family in Madrid,” Amer Hamzah said.
Deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat said the prosecution did not object to Muhyiddin’s application for follow-up treatment in the United Kingdom but objected to the Madrid part of it.
He said this would set a precedent and “open the floodgates” for similar requests.
“If the court is inclined to allow the application, the prosecution applies for the permitted period to be limited to Dec 20, 2025 only,” he said.
Muhyiddin, 76, was charged with using his position as the then Prime Minister and Bersatu president to obtain bribes amounting to RM232.5mil from three companies, namely Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd and Mamfor Sdn Bhd, and also from one Datuk Azman Yusoff, for the party.
He was charged with committing the offences at the Prime Minister’s Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra, Federal Government Administration Centre in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020, and Aug 20, 2021.
