Ex-Felda boss Isa Samad gets temporary release of passport for umrah

The Court of Appeal today allowed an application by former Felda chairman Isa Samad for the release of his passport for travel to perform the umrah.

A panel of three judges headed by Kamaludin Md Said allowed the application after Isa’s lawyer, Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff, informed the court that his client would leave to perform the umrah on Feb 10.

"My client will return to Malaysia on Feb 23, and I request that the passport be returned on March 7," said Baharudeen, who was present with lawyer Abu Bakar Isa Ramat.

The prosecution, represented by deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz, did not object to the application which was filed on Jan 10.
 
Kamaludin, sitting with judges Hashim Hamzah and Azman Abdullah, agreed for Isa, 73, to return the passport to the court on March 7.

In March last year, the Court of Appeal allowed Isa's application for the temporary release of his passport to attend his stepson's convocation ceremony at a university in the UK.

Isa was convicted by the High Court on Feb 3, 2021 of nine charges of corruption involving RM3 million in the purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites in Kuching, Sarawak.

He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for each charge, a total of 54 years, but would only have to serve six years as the jail sentences were to be served concurrently.

He was also fined RM15.45 million, in default of 18 years' jail.

However, the court allowed him a stay of execution pending his appeal, raising his bail amount from RM800,000 to RM1.5 million.

The appeal hearing has been set for March 7.