KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s application to have his passport returned to him permanently has to be rejected by the Sessions Court, as the former prime minister is still facing three charges of money laundering, and there is a risk of him fleeing.
Deputy public prosecutor Lim Wai Keong said Muhyiddin should file an application in the Sessions Court for the release of a temporary passport, from time to time, if needed for the purpose of travelling abroad.
“Therefore, there is no issue for the permanent release of the passport worth considering. I stress the applicant’s (Muhyiddin) application is unfounded, unreasonable, and inconvenient to the court process. The charges against the applicant are very serious,” he said.
Lim said this in a counter affidavit to Muhyiddin’s application for the court to change the bond bail imposed on him so his passport, which was surrendered to the Sessions Court as a bail condition, be released unconditionally.
Regarding the money laundering charge, he said the charges can stand on their own, even though the High Court has quashed the predicate charges (charges of using a position).
On August 15, the High Court acquitted Muhyiddin of four charges of using his position for bribes, amounting to RM232.5 million, 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 (court) fixed 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 application filed on October 16, said 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 was a very stressful year for his family and himself.
In addition, he also intends to undergo a heart examination through a cardiac stress test on a treadmill at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, which requires him to walk or run on the machine.
The court set November 23 to hear Muhyiddin’s application.
The Pagoh MP faces two charges of receiving money from illegal activities, amounting to RM195 million, from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, deposited into Bersatu’s CIMB Bank account.
He allegedly committed the act at CIMB Bank Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral, here, between February 25 and July 16, 2021, and February 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 RM5 million, and the case was transferred to the Sessions Court for a joint trial.
On October 2, Muhyiddin applied for a discharge not amounting to acquittal of the three charges.
— Bernama
