PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was today granted permanent access to his international and diplomatic passport to enable him to carry out official duties abroad.

This followed a decision by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Datuk Hanipah Farikullah in allowing the appeal by Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, to obtain permanent access to the passports on grounds that the application had merit.

"The court has examined the affidavit and written submission by the applicant (Ahmad Zahid). The order requested is allowed by the court," said Judge Hanipah, sitting with Judges Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Datuk Lim Chong Fong.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob told the court that the prosecution did not object to the application, filed by Ahmad Zahid through his lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik.

The Bagan Datuk Member of Parliament filed a new application at the Court of Appeal after the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Feb 3 dismissed his application to be given permanent access to his international passport.

In dismissing the application for permanent access, High Court Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, however, allowed Ahmad Zahid to have temporary access to his passport for the purpose of applying for a diplomatic passport and then surrender both passports to the court.

The passports were surrendered to the court as an additional bail condition after he was charged with 47 counts of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving Akalbudi Foundation funds, which are currently at the defence stage.

Based on the notice of motion filed on Feb 13, Ahmad Zahid requested for the Court of Appeal to consider allowing him permanent access to his passport subject to any conditions imposed by the court.

In his supporting affidavit, Ahmad Zahid said Judge Sequerah had erred and was wrong in using his discretion in dismissing his application to obtain the document permanently.

The Bagan Datuk Member said the decision would prejudice his rights and responsibilities as a country leader in having to apply to the court for access to his passport every time he needed to go abroad for work.

"As an individual who holds one of the highest positions in the country, it is seen as impractical and an inconvenience for me to apply to the court every time I want to go abroad for work purposes.

"Therefore, it is appropriate for the Court of Appeal to consider that the approval of the application will bring good and continuity to the administration of the country which is the responsibility of every Malaysians," he said.

According to Ahmad Zahid, the application was not mala fide or prejudicial against any party and he promised to continue to give his full cooperation in solving his court cases.

-- BERNAMA