KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has obtained a temporary release of his passport, enabling him to fly to New York to settle his son's higher education matters.

       Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin granted the application for the passport's temporary release from Monday (Oct 25) until Dec 3.

       The temporary release of Shafee's passport was allowed after no objection was raised by deputy public prosecutor S. Nithia.

       Shafee had surrendered his passport to the court as part of bail conditions for his ongoing trial for alleged money laundering involving RM9.5mil received from former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

       The courts have also allowed temporary passport releases for three prominent accused persons still undergoing trial for various criminal offences, namely Najib, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.