KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 26): Three judges of the High Court on Tuesday (Oct 26) allowed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s amended period for the temporary release of his passport to accompany and support his daughter in Singapore, who is expected to give birth soon.

Following brief submissions in three separate courts from the former premier’s counsel Tan Sri Muhammed Shafee Abdullah, Justices Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin, Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah and Mohamed Zaini Mazlan allowed the amendment of dates.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul, who led the prosecution in separate proceedings before Justices Jamil and Zaini, did not raise any objection to the application and left the matter to the courts. Likewise, DPP Mohamad Mustafa P Kunyalam, who led the prosecution in the proceedings before Justice Sequerah, did not oppose the application. 

Prior to this, Najib’s passport was slated to be released on Oct 20 and returned to the court on Nov 22, but it has now been amended to be released to him on Tuesday (Oct 26) and should be returned to the court on Dec 6.

The former premier plans to leave for Singapore on Nov 21 and return to Malaysia on Dec 5.

Shafee said the reason behind the amended dates is that his client would have to remain in Malaysia for the time being to oversee the Melaka state election.

Therefore, the lawyer said that Najib would temporarily place his plan to travel to Singapore on hold until the Melaka state election ends on Nov 20.

He noted that this is because Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is set to leave for Germany to receive medical treatment, leaving the former premier with the responsibility of ensuring that the state election proceeds accordingly during Ahmad Zahid's absence.

Najib’s application to amend the dates in the High Court came on the back of the Court of Appeal allowing the former premier’s temporary passport release application on Oct 18, so that he could be in Singapore to support his daughter Nooryana Najwa Najib.

Previously, the High Court also allowed an application by the former prime minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor for the temporary release of her passport to enable her to go to Singapore on the same grounds.

Najib, 68, is facing charges and trials in relation to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), and has been convicted of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to 1MDB’s former subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd, where he has been sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million.

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