KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 17): Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has filed an application to review the High Court's decision not to permanently return his personal passport.
The matter came up for case management before Court of Appeal deputy registrar Mohd Khairi Haron on Friday (Feb 17), and the court has set March 27 to hear the application.
Zahid's counsel Aiman Abdul Rahman confirmed the matter with The Edge when contacted.
In his application filed on Feb 13, Zahid wants the appellate court to reconsider his application, to have his passport returned "in full and permanently", and remain subject to any appropriate conditions imposed by the court.
Zahid is seeking to review Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah's decision on Feb 3 to dismiss the DPM's application to have his passport permanently returned to him. Zahid had made the application to be able to carry out his official duties overseas.
Sequerah, however, allowed for Zahid's passport to be returned temporarily, so he could apply for a diplomatic passport.
In his decision, the High Court judge noted that all persons or accuseds are equal under the law. He added that although Zahid, who is also the rural and regional development minister, had official duties to carry out, the courts too had their duties to perform.
Sequerah noted that Zahid is still entitled to apply for the release of his passport to carry out his official duties when the need arises, as long as it does not clash with "the duty of the court to proceed with the trial".
The High Court is holding Zahid’s passport as part of his bail conditions, pending the outcome of his corruption trial before Sequerah.
Zahid is facing 47 charges comprising 12 for criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption, and 27 for money laundering involving millions of ringgit from charitable foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.
According to his supporting affidavit seen by The Edge, Zahid said that the High Court decision could be prejudicial to his rights and responsibility as a leader of the country, because he would have to revert to the court for his passport whenever he had to travel for official purposes.
He added that as an individual who holds "among one of the highest positions" in government, it is not practical (to not have free access to his passport) and it would be complicated for him to apply to the court for the release of his passport whenever he had official duties overseas.
Therefore, he said it would be reasonable for the Court of Appeal to consider his application, as it may bring good for the administration of the country.
Zahid said his application was not made in bad faith or prejudicial to any party, and promised that he would cooperate with the courts and the ongoing trial until the end of his defence.
He also vowed that he would not run away from the country, and that he would attend all his court proceedings.