Ex-Malaysian PM Najib Razak’s wife Rosmah Mansor to visit Singapore after court orders temporary release of passport
- Rosmah, who is currently on trial for graft, had sought for the release of her passport to visit her pregnant daughter in the city state
- A judge ordered that the travel document must be returned to the court before or by December 6
The High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Friday allowed the application by Rosmah, who is currently on trial for graft, for the temporary release of her travel document after it was informed that the prosecution was not objecting to it.
Justice Mohammed Zaini Mazlan made the order for Rosmah’s passport to be returned to her today and that it must be returned to the court before or by December 6.
According to the notice of motion seen by The Star, Rosmah was seeking for the release of her passport to visit her daughter Nooryana Najwa, who is eight months pregnant.
Malaysian court orders corruption trial of Rosmah Mansor to proceed
Earlier, the court was informed by Rosmah’s lawyer Jagjit Singh that she would be returning to Malaysia by or on November 24.
Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam told the court that the prosecution had no objection to the application, subject to Rosmah’s travel dates not affecting the agreed trial dates.
“They [the defence] must strictly adhere to the timeline agreed. We do not want delays,” he said.
Justice Mohammed Zaini said the quarantine period for travellers returning to Malaysia is 14 days.
He said if Rosmah were to return on November 24, she must be tested for Covid-19 again on the 14th day and make herself available on December 8, which is one of the trial dates.
“I am not agreeable to November 24. I am suggesting we give and take one or two days. I insist on [the applicant returning by] November 21.
“Here is my order. The passport will be returned today and must be returned to the court before or on December 6 with the condition that the applicant could only travel to Singapore from October 22 and must return to Malaysia before or by November 21,” he said.
Rosmah is facing one charge of soliciting 187.5 million ringgit (US$45 million) and two counts of receiving bribes totalling 6.5 million ringgit (US$1,562,763) from Jepak Holdings’ former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.
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The bribes were allegedly received through her former aide Rizal Mansor as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel generator sets for 369 Sarawak rural schools worth 1.25 billion ringgit from the Education Ministry through direct negotiation.
Rosmah is alleged to have committed the offences at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall, Jalan Putra in Kuala Lumpur ; at her residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta; and at Seri Perdana, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya; between January 2016 and September 2017.
The charges, under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, provide for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the amount of the gratification or 10,000 ringgit, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
