KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is still facing money laundering charges, has been given the green light to leave the country to travel to Thailand next week.
Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi today granted the Perikatan Nasional chairman's application to temporarily retrieve his passport.
Muhyiddin, in his application said he needed the document as he wants to go to Bangkok to attend the opening of a restaurant there on Feb 15.
Muhyiddin said the visit was necessary as he would also meet with Malaysian businessmen in Thailand to discuss business matters beneficial to the bilateral relationship between both countries.
Azura, in granting the application, ordered the passport to be returned to the former prime minister and for it to be returned on Feb 23.
She said although there were several restrictions imposed on Muhyiddin, it was not appropriate to prevent him from living his life and fulfilling his responsibilities until he was found guilty of the charges made against him.
"The court also found no evidence that the applicant is a flight risk," she said at the proceeding.
The prosecution was represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Noralis Mat while Muhyiddin was represented by Amer Hamzah Arshad.
According to Azura, the main purpose of imposing bail on Muhyiddin is to ensure his presence in court and among the reasons requiring him to surrender his passport to the court is to restrict his movement until the disposal of his case.
"Even if the court agrees that the reason for the applicant's travel is not an urgent need, the court has wide discretion and can be used after taking into account and considering all the circumstances in a case," she said.
The Bersatu president had applied for the temporary release of his passport on Jan 31 to travel to Bangkok.
He said he needed the document to attend the opening of a Thai restaurant owned by his close friend who is also a Malaysian.
Muhyiddin, 76, is facing two charges of allegedly receiving RM195 million in proceeds from unlawful activities from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd which was deposited into Bersatu's CIMB Bank account.
The offences were allegedly committed at CIMB Bank Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral, here, between Feb 25 and July 16, 2021, and between Feb 8 and July 8, 2022.
He was also charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court on March 13 last year with receiving proceeds from unlawful activities amounting to RM5 million, and the case had been transferred to the Sessions Court here for a joint trial.
On Aug 15 last year, the High Court acquitted and discharged Muhyiddin of four counts of abuse of power involving RM232.5 million in connection with the Jana Wibawa project.
Following the development, Muhyiddin, on Oct 4, filed an application to strike out his remaining three money laundering charges linked to the Jana Wibawa scandal.
He also wanted the Sessions Court to grant him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) from the charges.
The prosecution then filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal against the decision, and the court has set Feb 28 and 29 for the hearing.
On Nov 29, last year, the same court dismissed Muhyiddin's application for permanently retrieving his passport.
However, it allowed the temporary release of the document for his travel to London with his family members.