KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 25): The prosecution has objected to an application by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s application to the High Court here for an unconditional release of his passport from the court. 

Deputy public prosecutor Nor Asma Ahmad told the court that the prosecution is objecting to the unconditional release of his passport. 

She informed Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi of the prosecution's intention to object to the application at a mention here. 

However, Nor Asma said that although the prosecution had received Muhyiddin’s cause papers for the application last week, they were not prepared to submit their objections as they needed two weeks to submit their affidavits in reply. 

Azura then ordered the prosecution to file their affidavit by Nov 17 and fixed the application to be heard on Nov 23.

Parties are to also file written submissions by Nov 21. 

Lawyers Datuk K Kumaraendran, Amer Hamzah Arshad and Chetan Jethwani represented Muhyiddin, while DPPs Noralis Mat and Poh Yih Tinn appeared for the prosecution.

It was reported last week that Muhyiddin had applied for the unconditional release of his passport from the court for a family holiday in London and medical check-up in Singapore at the end of this year.

He said that it is a tradition that he takes his family for a month-long vacation every year, that he has had a stressful year and needs to spend time with his family. 

The Pagoh Member of Parliament said he would be taking an Emirates flight from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai on Dec 15 and would have a layover until Dec 21 before departing for London on the same day.

He said he would be in London from Dec 21 until Jan 10, next year.

Muhyiddin is currently waiting on an application to strike out three money laundering charges against him linked to the Jana Wibawa project. 

He is seeking for Sessions Court to grant him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) from the charges after the High Court had struck out four charges against him totalling RM232.5 million. 

Muhyiddin’s lawyers claim that the three charges which are framed under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, are predicated on the four charges that were struck out. Therefore, the three charges should be struck out as well. 

On Aug 15, High Court judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin granted Muhyiddin's application to strike out the four abuse of power charges, and granted the Pagoh MP a discharge and acquittal.

Former attorney general Tan Sri Idrus Harun, who recently retired, revealed in a statement on the matter that his chambers had already filed the notice of appeal to reverse Jamil's decision.

This means that the Court of Appeal will review Jamil’s decision.