KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — The Sessions Court here today granted Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s application for the temporary release of his international passport to allow him to attend his granddaughter’s graduation ceremony in London.

Judge Rozina Ayob allowed the passport to be handed over to the former prime minister after Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Asma Ahmad informed the court that they did not object to the application, according to national news agency Bernama.

"The passport is handed over to the accused (Muhyiddin) today and must be returned to the court on August 20,” said Rozina.

Earlier, lawyer Datuk Seri K. Kumaraendran, representing Muhyiddin, informed that his client’s granddaughter would depart for London on July 19 and is expected to return to Malaysia on August 15.

When asked by Rozina why the accused wanted to obtain the passport early, the lawyer said it was to allow the accused to obtain clearance from the Immigration Department first.

Based on supporting affidavits, Muhyiddin stated that he and his wife would attend their eldest granddaughter’s graduation ceremony on July 23 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London.

Muhyiddin said his granddaughter had successfully completed her Bachelor of Arts studies with first-class honours in Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Business Administration at the University of Westminster, London.

"I want to attend my granddaughter’s graduation ceremony because it is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and I want to witness and recognise her success.

"My granddaughter has also expressed her desire for both my wife and I to attend her graduation ceremony to witness her achievement,” Muhyiddin said in the affidavit.

In the same proceeding, Rozina also scheduled August 30 for Muhyiddin’s application to defer the case of abuse of position and money laundering charges against the former Bersatu president, pending a decision on the review application by the appellate court panel.

Muhyiddin, 77, as the prime minister (at the time) and Bersatu president, was accused of using his position to receive bribes amounting to RM232.5 million related to the Jana Wibawa Project from three companies, namely Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, and Mamfor Sdn Bhd, and Datuk Azman Yusoff, for the respective party.

He was accused of committing these acts at the Prime Minister’s Office, Perdana Putra Building, Federal Government Administrative Centre in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020, and August 20, 2021.

Muhyiddin also faced two charges of receiving proceeds from unlawful activities totaling RM195 million from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd deposited into Bersatu’s CIMB Bank account at CIMB Bank Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral, here between February 25 and July 16, 2021, and February 8 and July 8, 2022.

He was also brought before the Sessions Court in Shah Alam on March 13 last year on charges of receiving proceeds from unlawful activities amounting to RM5 million, and the case was transferred to the Sessions Court here for joint trial.