Zahid fails to get passport permanently returned

KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi fails in his bid at the High Court to regain his passport permanently returned to carry out his official duties as Deputy Prime Minister.

Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah said that the Federal Constitution stipulated that all individuals were deemed as equal before the law.

He said the court would not give advantages or privileges according to one's status but instead puts the law at the top level.

"However, the court took note that he, as Deputy Prime Minister and minister, has official duties to perform.

"These duties cannot overlap with his obligation to appear in court for case proceedings conducted in court," he said.

Therefore, he said, the court allowed the Rural and Regional Development Minister to apply for a (temporary) release to get a diplomatic passport.

Sequerah said that after the official matter was completed, the Bagan Datuk MP was required to return the passport to the court.

On January 26, Zahid applied for his international passport to be permanently returned in order to carry out his official duties.

The passport was previously submitted to the court as an additional bail condition after he was charged with 47 charges of corruption, breach of trust and money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds, which is now in the defence stage.

Through an affidavit in support of the application, Zahid, 70, said he had several constraints to carry out his duties like other ministers because he did not have access to the passport.