KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Former premier Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin failed his bid for the temporary release of his passport to go to Uzbekistan with his wife to celebrate their 52nd wedding anniversary.
Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi dismissed the application by Muhyiddin today because the reasons given were unreasonable.
“The applicant can still go on holiday and celebrate any celebration, but not abroad,” she said.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Noralis Mat said the prosecution objected to Muhyiddin’s application because the reasons given by the Pagoh MP to holiday abroad with his wife and celebrate their 52nd wedding anniversary were frivolous.
"The accused (Muhyiddin) must have reasonable, urgent, and critical reasons. Citing stress from court charges, especially those under the Sedition Act 1948, as a reason to take a vacation abroad is very trivial,”
"Celebrating wedding anniversaries and holidaying can be done in Malaysia. In addition, the court also needs to consider the seriousness of the charges facing the applicant and the risk of him fleeing,” said Noralis, who prosecuted the case with deputy public prosecutor Zander Lim Wai Keong.
When applying for the temporary release of his client’s passport, Muhyiddin's lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said he would leave for Uzbekistan tomorrow (October 4) and will return to Malaysia on October 12.
"My client is not a 'flight risk' since he is the president of Bersatu and has to attend the Parliament sitting, scheduled from October 14 to December 12. My client will return his passport to the court on October 14," he said.
In the application, Muhyiddin said he and his wife are taking a short trip to Uzbekistan as a respite from various challenges, including the sedition case at the Gua Musang Court, in Kelantan, the by-elections, and also to spend time with his wife in conjunction with their 52nd wedding anniversary on September 22.
On September 11, the Court of Appeal dismissed his application to review the decision of its previous panel in reinstating the four power abuse charges involving RM232.5 million against him.
Muhyiddin, 77, as the prime minister (at the time) and President of Bersatu, was charged with using his position to obtain RM232.5 million in bribes from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, and Mamfor Sdn Bhd and Datuk Azman Yusoff for his political party.
He was charged with committing the offence at the Prime Minister's Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra, Federal Government Administration Centre in Putrajaya, between March 1, 2020 and August 20, 2021.
Muhyiddin also faces two charges of receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM195 million from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd which was deposited into Bersatu's CIMB Bank account.
The offence was committed at CIMB Bank Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral between February 25 and July 16, 2021, and between February 8 and July 8, 2022.
He was also charged in the Sessions Court in Shah Alam on March 13 last year with receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM5 million and the case was transferred to the Sessions Court here to be tried together.
— Bernama
