KUALA LUMPUR: An explanation must be given on why former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is allowed to be in Singapore for one month, says Mohamed Hanipa Maidin.

       "Tuan Speaker, why was he allowed to go on leave for so long? The reason given is that he is going to visit his daughter, who is expecting.

       "He is not a midwife. If he needs to visit (his daughter in) Singapore, five days is enough. But this is for one month. Is YB Pekan a midwife? Does he need to be there to help with the childbirth?" asked the Sepang MP.

       Hanipa raised the issue while debating the motion to annul the Emergency Ordinances in Parliament on Monday (Oct 25).

       The Court of Appeal on Oct 18 gave Najib, 68, temporary access to his passport for him to travel to Singapore to visit his daughter Nooryana Najwa, who is due to deliver her second child.

       In his initial application that was allowed, Najib was to have access to his passport from Oct 20 and the passport should be returned on Nov 22.

       After the Malacca Legislative Assembly election was set for Nov 20, Najib amended his notice of motion to extend the return date for his passport to Dec 12.

       Najib, in his affidavit, said he had been entrusted to lead the Umno campaign in the absence of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is abroad seeking medical treatment.

       Najib's passport was seized in 2018 because he was facing numerous criminal trials related to the 1MDB.

       Earlier, Hanipa urged the government to disclose how much money had been spent during the Emergency period that allowed for supplementary budgets to be passed without having to go through Parliament.

       "We were told that during the emergency, money was spent to renovate and repair the prime minister's residence.

       "Then there are three new halls being built in the Pagoh constituency.

       "These are public funds. If not Parliament, who provides the check-and-balance?" Hanipa asked.