KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak now wants to postpone his travel plans to Singapore due to the Melaka state elections next month.
The former Umno president in his supporting affidavit to apply for the temporary return of his passport said he had been tasked to be the 'caretaker' for the party during the by-election.
On Oct 18, the Court of Appeal approved Najib's application for the temporary return of his passport to enable him to travel to Singapore to visit his daughter Nooryana Najwa who is expected to give birth soon.
He was originally scheduled to leave for Singapore on Oct 20 and return by Nov 22.
However, Najib through his counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah today applied to amend his travel date to Nov 21, and he will return his passport before Dec 6.
He said Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be in Germany during the elections for his medical treatment.
"I have been entrusted to ensure that Umno will act in an orderly and appropriate manner during the by-election.
"Thus, I need to delay my travel to Singapore to after the by-election on Nov 20," he said.
Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor will be heading to Singapore before him to look after their daughter before he follows suit.
High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan set Oct 26 for hearing.
Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin said the prosecution would wait for further instruction from the Attorney-General's Chambers.
The Pekan Member of Parliament is now on trial for multiple corruption charges involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal, audit tempering, and money laundering.
He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million after he was found guilty for misappropriation of RM42 million of SRC International Funds.
On Oct 15, Zaini allowed Rosmah's application to temporarily get back her international passport to travel to Singapore from Oct 22 and return back on Nov 21.
She was ordered to return the document to the court before Dec 6.
Rosmah, 69, is expected to resume giving evidence over her charges of soliciting RM187.5 million and receiving bribes of RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd's former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin, through her former special officer Datuk Rizal Mansor.