PUTRAJAYA – The Court of Appeal here today allowed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to access his passport temporarily to facilitate his trip to Singapore for the birth of his grandchild.
The prosecution did not object to Najib’s application, which was approved by the three-judge quorum led by Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said with Datuk P. Ravinthran and Datuk Abu Bakar Jais.
“Seeing as the reason given is also reasonable, the application to have the passport temporarily returned is allowed,” Kamaludin was quoted as saying.
Following the decision, Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said Najib’s passport will be returned to him by Wednesday (October 20) with his client expected to travel to the island republic by November 3.
This, Shafee said, is after the Pekan MP debates the Budget 2022 tabling at the Dewan Rakyat.
Najib is expected to travel to Singapore on November 3, which his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah noted is the day after the Pekan MP debates the Budget 2022 tabling in Parliament.
Additionally, it is learnt that the court also allowed Najib’s application to return his passport on November 22, two days after his expected return from the neighbouring country.
The latest development meant that Najib will accompany his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor who received similar approval last week to welcome the birth of their grandchild in Singapore.
Najib filed for the temporary return of his passport at the Court of Appeal last week.
The court previously held his passport while hearing his bid to quash his conviction and sentencing in the RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption case.
Rosmah’s application was allowed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court last Friday.
She applied on the basis that she wanted to provide moral and mental support to daughter Nooryana Najwa. – The Vibes, October 22, 2021
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