KUALA LUMPUR: The Session's Court here today allowed a temporary release of former Bersatu Information Chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan's passport for an official trip to Japan.

Judge Rozina Ayob allowed the release to enable the Tasek Gelugor Member of Parliament to go on a working trip to Japan with the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, from Sept 23 to Oct 2.

Earlier during the proceedings, Wan Saiful's lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad informed the court he had received a letter from the parliamentary secretary's office stating that the itinerary for the trip would be discussed on Sept 14 and appealed for the temporary release of his client's passport.

Deputy public prosecutor Maziah Mohaide said the prosecution had no objections to the application on condition that Wan Saiful signs an oath to present a copy of his return trip ticket and additional documents to the parliamentary secretary's office before leaving.

On Feb 21, Wan Saiful, 48, pleaded not guilty to a charge of soliciting money from Lian Tan Chuan as an inducement to help Nepturis Sdn Bhd obtain the "Central Spine Road: Sertik to East Coast Expressway junction' project valued at RM232 million from the government of Malaysia.

He was also charged with receiving bribes totalling RM6,962,694.54 into the CIMB Bank Berhad account owned by his company WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd from Syarikat Nepturis Sdn Bhd's Maybank Islamic Berhad account as a fee for assisting Nepturis to obtain a Letter of Acceptance for the project.

Both offences were allegedly committed at Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana here, in April 2022 and at CIMB Bank Berhad Bukit Tunku Branch, Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku here between July 8, 2022, to Sept 30, 2022.

-- BERNAMA