Najib now seeks to delay Singapore trip to take charge of Melaka polls
KUALA LUMPUR: Najib Razak has applied to delay his trip to Singapore as he has been entrusted to oversee Umno’s preparations for the Melaka state election next month. The former prime minister said this is because Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be in Germany to seek medical treatment during…
KUALA LUMPUR: Najib Razak has applied to delay his trip to Singapore as he has been entrusted to oversee Umno’s preparations for the Melaka state election next month.
The former prime minister said this is because Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be in Germany to seek medical treatment during that period.
“I am entrusted with the responsibility to ensure Umno is managed in an orderly manner while Zahid is away,” Najib said in his amended affidavit sighted by FMT.
Melaka goes to the polls on Nov 20 with early voting taking place from Nov 16, while the nomination day has been set for Nov 8.
The former Umno president said he would now like to leave for the island republic on Nov 21 and return on Dec 5.
His application is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday before three High Court judges as he is facing separate charges related to 1MDB.
Najib said he needed the passport for renewal and clearance to lift the travel ban from the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).
On Monday, the Court of Appeal allowed the temporary release of his passport to enable him to visit his daughter, Nooryana Najwa, who is due to deliver her second baby soon in Singapore.
The prosecution did not object to the application and left the matter to the court.
Najib came to the Court of Appeal to have his travel document returned as his appeal against his conviction and sentence in the SRC International case was heard before this appellate court six months ago.
The Court of Appeal then ordered his passport to be released on Oct 20 for Najib to renew it.
The court also allowed him to leave on Nov 3 and ordered him to return the passport on Nov 22.
The initial plan by Najib, who is Pekan MP, was to leave the country on Nov 3 after participating in the debate on the 2022 budget a day earlier.
His application for the release of his passport followed the successful bid by his wife Rosmah Mansor, who is facing corruption charges linked to a solar panel project for Sarawak schools.
Last week, the High Court temporarily released her passport after she said that she needed to be with their daughter Nooryana, who had suffered complications during her first delivery.
She said she wanted to be beside her daughter to provide mental and emotional support after delivery. — Free Malaysia Today