High Court quashes detention order signed under PM’s ‘glamour name’

SHAH ALAM: The High Court here yesterday quashed a preventive detention order signed by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin using his “glamour name” last year.

Counsel Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim said the court made the decision in a habeas corpus application of his client, Abang Sari Lasikan, who was detained under drug-related offences.

“Muhyiddin, who also acted as the home minister, signed the order by using his ‘Muhyiddin’ name instead of his gazetted MyKad name ‘Mahiaddin Md Yassin’.

“Thus, judicial commissioner Datuk Norsharidah Awang ruled that the order was null and void as the prime minister should have used his gazetted name for official matters.”

He said his client received the order issued by the deputy home minister on March 9 last year under under Section 6(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Kamil added that they filed the habeas corpus application on Sept 9 the same year, naming the deputy home minister and Simpang Renggam Correctional Rehabilitation Centre senior enforcer as the first and second respondents.

The applicant in his written submission argued that the order contravened Section 2(1) of the Ministerial Functions Act 1969.

“We argued that the party authorised to issue any order under the provisions of section 6 (1) of the Act was gazetted as Tan Sri Mahiaddin Md Yasin.

“However, the preventive detention order dated March 9 was issued and signed using the name Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin.”