Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is facing money laundering charges, was temporarily given back his passport on Nov 29 so that he can travel overseas for a family holiday and undergo medical treatment in Singapore.
However, Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi dismissed his application to have his travel document returned to him permanently, reported Malaysian media.
She said it was premature to do so, as he still had other charges pending in court.
She added that Muhyiddin, who is the chairman of opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional, has to return his passport by Jan 15, 2024.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said the prosecution had no objection to the temporary release of the passport, which is held by the court as part of Muhyiddin’s bail conditions.
Muhyiddin’s lawyer, Mr K. Kumaraendran, told the court that the former premier is slated to fly to Dubai on Dec 15 before leaving for London on Dec 21. He will then return to Dubai on Jan 10 and travel to Malaysia on Jan 11.
Mr Kumaraendran did not say when Muhyiddin is going to Singapore.
On Oct 21, Muhyiddin had applied for his passport to be returned so he could receive medical treatment in Singapore.
The Pagoh MP plans to undergo a heart examination through a stress test on a treadmill at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, according to his affidavit.
He said he had been treated a few years ago at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, where doctors had informed him that Mount Elizabeth Hospital has the same treatment and diagnostic tools.
He also said in the affidavit that he needed the document to travel to London at the end of the year as part of a family tradition of going on a month-long trip annually.
Earlier in October, he had filed an application to set aside three money laundering charges involving some RM200 million (S$57.2 million) related to projects awarded under his government’s Jana Wibawa stimulus programme, after being acquitted in August of four power abuse charges in relation to these projects.
The Jana Wibawa programme was launched to help bumiputera contractors during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bumiputera refers to the Malay majority and indigenous minorities in the country.
Malaysia’s anti-graft agency had investigated allegations that contractors chosen for the stimulus programme were required to deposit money in accounts belonging to Muhyiddin’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in exchange for projects.
Muhyiddin, who was prime minister for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, rebutted the claims, calling them political slander.
