KUALA LUMPUR, February 8 – Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi failed in his application at the High Court here on Friday to regain his international passport permanently to carry out his official duties as Deputy Prime Minister. When deciding this, Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah said that the Federal Constitution stipulates that all individuals are equal before the law. According to him, the court does not give advantages or privileges according to the status of the community 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 Minister of Rural and Regional Development to apply for a (temporary) release to apply for a diplomatic passport. Sequerah said that after the matter was completed, the Member of Parliament for Bagan Datuk was required to return the passport to the court.
On January 26, Sinar Harian reported that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi applied to regain his international passport permanently 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 Akalbudi Foundation funds, which is now in the defense stage. Through an affidavit in support of the application, Ahmad Zahid, 70, said he had several constraints to carry out his duties like other ministers because he did not have access to the passport.
