KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 ― Cartoonist Zunar today filed a leave application for a judicial review to challenge the Immigration Department's decision barring him from travelling overseas.

Zunar, or his real name Zulkiflee SM Anwarul Haque, 54, filed the application through counsels Eric Paulsen and Melissa Sasidaran at the Appellate and Special Powers Division registry office here and named the Immigration Director-General, Home Minister and the government as respondents.

Zunar, as the applicant, is seeking a certiorari order to quash the travel restriction by the respondents, which was informed to him orally on October 17.

He is seeking a declaration that the travel ban violates the Article 5 (1),

Article 8 and/or Article 9 of the Federal Constitution and therefore, it is null, void and unconstitutional

Zunar is also seeking a mandamus order from the court to instruct the respondents to allow him to travel overseas without restrictions.

At a press conference today, Zunar said on October 17, he was at the KL International Airport, leaving for Singapore to attend a forum, when he was stopped by the immigration officers. ― Bernama