KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 — Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has been temporarily granted access to his passport from November 10 until 22.

Malaysiakini reported the reason for the release was for Bung Moktar to travel to the Middle East for a business trip.

Confirming that the trip will be for business purposes, Bung Moktar’s lawyer Teh See Khoon also confirmed the approval, adding that the prosecution did not object to it.

"Allowed. From November 10 to 22,” the lawyer was quoted saying.

Apart from Bung Moktar, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor also had their passport released to be with their expectant daughter in Singapore.

Najib has been found guilty on seven charges of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to RM42 million belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Rosmah is facing corruption charges related to the RM1.25 billion project for the supply of electricity to 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

Former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi has also been allowed to travel to Germany to receive medical treatment. Judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa, who is the judge hearing Ahmad Zahid’s trial involving 40 corruption charges, allowed Ahmad Zahid’s application for the temporary release of his passport.

Then on October 25, Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah was the latest accused public figure who was permitted by the court to temporarily take back his impounded passport so he can travel overseas.

High Court judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin approved Muhammad Shafee’s application for his passport to be released until December 3 so he can fly to the United States and oversee his son’s enrolment into a tertiary education institution in New York.

Shafee had surrendered his passport to the court as part of bail conditions in his ongoing trial for alleged money laundering involving RM9.5 million received from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar, 62, pleaded not guilty to two charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.2 million and RM262,500 as inducement to obtain Felcra's approval to invest RM150 million in the Public Mutual unit trust.

Bung Moktar, as the then non-executive chairman of Felcra Berhad, was charged with accepting the bribes from Public Mutual investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid, 38, through his (Bung’s) wife, Zizie Izette at Public Bank’s Taman Melawati branch here between 12.30 pm and 5 pm on June 12, 2015.

He also pleaded not guilty to accepting a cash bribe of RM335,500 for himself from another Public Mutual investment agent, Norlaili Ahmad Mokhtar, 42, under the name Zizie Izette for the same reason, at the same place on June 19, 2015.

Zizie Izette also pleaded not guilty to three charges of abetting her husband on the same matter at the same place, date and time.