Former Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad has failed to gain temporary access to his passport to perform umrah.

Court denies Isa access to passport

THE STAR
Friday, 1 Feb 2019




by nurbaiti hamdan
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad has failed to gain temporary access to his passport to perform umrah.

The Sessions Court denied his application for the release of his passport for an umrah trip scheduled between Feb 10 and Feb 21.




In her decision, Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi said there was no urgency for the former Felda chairman to perform umrah next month.

“Even though the applicant is not a flight risk, the court is of the view that there is no pressing need for him to do so (the umrah),” she said before dismissing the application yesterday.


Earlier, Mohd Isa’s lawyers Datuk K. Kumaraendran and Ridha Abdah Subri submitted that their client was not a flight risk.

“My client has given full cooperation during the investigation since the day he was remanded,” Kumaraendran said.

He said Mohd Isa had gone to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters five times to facilitate the probe.

DPP Datuk Umar Saifuddin Jaafar, however, questioned the need for Mohd Isa’s planned umrah this year as he already performed it twice last year in January and May.

“He went abroad several times between December 2017 and November 2018 including two trips to Mecca to perform the umrah,” he said.

On Dec 14, Mohd Isa claimed trial at a Sessions Court here to a charge of criminal breach of trust and nine counts of receiving graft involving more than RM3mil.

According to the first charge, the former Umno vice-president allegedly committed CBT by approving the purchase of Merdeka Palace & Suites Hotel without the approval from the Felda board of directors on April 29, 2014.

The offence under Section 409 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of between two and 20 years, whipping and a possible fine upon conviction.

Mohd Isa was also charged with receiving bribes totalling RM3.09mil from Gagasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd director Ikhwan Zaidel between July 2014 and December 2015.

He allegedly committed the offences at level 49, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No. 11, Persiaran KLCC near here.

The charges under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act carries a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe for each charge, if found guilty.

He is out on an RM800,000 bail.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/02/01/court-denies-isa-access-to-passport-exfelda-chief-wanted-document-to-perform-umrah/#7HCXh2JUEoV5zHSc.99