Muhyiddin gets passport back from today till Jan 15, but court says no to permanent return

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was today temporarily given back his passport so he can travel abroad for a family holiday and to seek medical treatment, several news outlets reported this morning.

However, the Sessions Court rejected his bid for the permanent return of the passport, which had been confiscated after his money laundering charges linked to the Jana Wibawa programme back in March.

News portal Free Malaysia Today reported judge Azura Alwi allowing the release of Muhyiddin’s passport today until January 15, 2024 after his lawyer, Datuk K. Kumaraendran said the Pagoh MP needed to renew it before he could travel overseas.

Azura said no to the permanent return of the passport as it was premature since he still had other charges pending hearing in court.

Another news portal Malaysiakini reported the lawyer saying that Muhyiddin planned to travel to Dubai in the United Arab Emirate on December 15 before going to London on December 21 where he would stay until January 10 next year and head back to Dubai on January 11 before returning home.

The lawyer promised that Muhyiddin’s passport would be returned to the court on January 15, 2024.

All media outlets reported deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib saying he had no objections to the release of Muhyiddin’s passport.

Muhyiddin applied for the unconditional permanent return of his passport last month so that he can take his family for a holiday in London at the end of this year as is their annual custom and to undergo medical checks in Singapore.

In his October court filing, Muhyiddin also said he had to undergo a heart examination through a stress test on a treadmill at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.