Shafee’s diplomatic passport revoked

Wisma Putra: No reason to give him special privileges since he is no longer a diplomat

KUALA LUMPUR: Wisma Putra has revoked the diplomatic passport issued to lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pic) on Sept 19.

In a parliamentary written reply, the Foreign Ministry said the passport was issued between 2009 and 2015 in his capacity as a member of the Asean Human Rights Intergovernmental Commission (AICHR).

The senior lawyer was again issued with the passport in his capacity as the Ambassador-at-Large for Human Rights from 2016 for a twoyear term ending in 2018.

“The issuance of the passport was to ease his job as an official representative of Malaysia,” said the Foreign Ministry in reply to a question from Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis), who asked the government to state the status of Muhammad Shafee’s diplomatic passport as he was no longer a diplomat.

On Sept 13, Muhammad Shafee was slapped with four charges of money laundering involving the RM9.5mil. The case has been transferred to the High Court.

The 66-year-old is accused of receiving proceeds of unlawful activity totalling RM4.3mil on Sept 13, 2013, and RM5.2mil on Feb 17, 2014, through two AmIslamic Bank Bhd cheques issued by then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

If convicted, Muhammad Shafee faces imprisonment of up to 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of the unlawful activity or RM5mil, whichever is higher.