Now, Rosmah gets to travel to Singapore

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today allowed Rosmah Mansor’s application for the temporary release of her passport to join her daughter who is awaiting the birth of her second child in Singapore, after a similar move by two other judges earlier this month allowing Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to travel to Germany for medical treatment.

According to Astro Awani, judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan allowed the application on condition that Rosmah return the passport on or before Dec 6.

The passport will be released on Oct 15, allowing Rosmah to travel to Singapore from Oct 22 onwards. She must return to the country on or before Nov 21, the report said.

The Shah Alam High Court had on Oct 11 allowed Zahid’s bid for his passport in order to travel to Munich to seek treatment for his back and neck.

His lawyer Ahmad Zaidi Zainal said the application was made before judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa, adding that the temporary release of the passport would not affect Zahid’s next trial date, which is on Oct 22.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah also granted Zahid’s request for the temporary return of his passport with the condition of extra surety.

The Umno president had applied for his passport to be released on Oct 26 and is scheduled to return on Nov 21.

Zahid is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and home minister at the time to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop centre in China and the VLN system as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the home ministry.

In another seven charges, Zahid is accused as then home minister of accepting S$1,150,000, RM3,000,000, €15,000 (RM75,663) and US$15,000 (RM62,115) in cash from the same company which he knew had a connection with his function as minister.

Rosmah meanwhile faces one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million in bribes and two charges of receiving RM6.5 million from Saidi through Rizal as gratification to assist Jepak Holdings in securing the integrated hybrid solar photovoltaic system project as well as the genset/diesel maintenance and operation for 369 rural schools in Sarawak worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiations from the education ministry.

The prosecution today raised no objections to the return of her passport as long as it does not interfere with her trial dates, The Malay Mail reported.

Rosmah had said that her daughter, Nooryana Najwa, had a history of complications during delivery and needed assistance and emotional support, the report added.