KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Fugitive sex blogger Alvin Tan today saluted “brave and wise” Muslim apostates, saying it takes much courage for a Muslim to leave Islam, especially in a country with a government that legislates religious freedom.
The outspoken youth, who continues to use Facebook as a platform to gripe over the alleged transgressions against civil liberties back in his home country, wrote in his latest post that apostates are the “only Malays that I really respect”.
“It takes so much guts and conviction to come out of the closet and just say, “You know what? I’m not buying into this whole Islam song and dance. I’m out!’,” he wrote.
Tan, who is currently in the United States (US) waiting out his application for political asylum, then pointed out that Muslims who have dared to renounce Islam often find themselves in the line of fire, and at times, are even put in danger.
“....having to fight for your liberty, beliefs, and sanity with your life, because the government believes that you don’t have a right to choose your religion,” he said.
“People think non-Muslims insulting Islam will get into trouble. Wait till you see what they do to fellow Muslims who insult Allah or Muhammad Rasullulah!.
“From the bottom of my heart, I salute you, oh brave and wise APOSTATES!” Tan wrote.
The sex blogger, who is currently facing court charges back home for his insults to Islam on Facebook, fled the country in September to seek political asylum in the US.
He is believed to have advised another youth, student activist Ali Abd Jalil who is facing similar charges, to do the same.
Ali left Malaysia for Sweden in October.
On Monday, Immigration Director-General Datuk Mustafa Ibrahim announced that Putrajaya has revoked the passports of Tan and another fugitive, student activist Ali Abd Jalil, in a first for the country.
Tan and Ali’s passports were both formally revoked on Tuesday and in a statement by the department, the duo were told to surrender their documents at a Malaysian embassy in their respective host countries.
Without the passports, both men no longer have valid legal documents necessary for them to to travel from their host countries or to return to Malaysia.
They may possibly secure an Emergency Certificate from the Malaysian embassies in the US and Sweden, which will allow them to return to Malaysia where they can appeal the cancellation of their passports, although it is likely both will face arrest for absconding from their ongoing criminal trials.
When replying to the revocation earlier this week, Tan told Malay Mail Online that the move only demonstrates the persecution that he claims to face here in Malaysia, and that it may even help his political asylum application.
Tan asserted that the “theatrics” by the home minister and Inspector-General of Police only increases the chances of him being granted refuge in the US, which he said would be an indictment of the superpower’s views of Umno’s “tyranny” here.
Despite no longer being able to travel internationally and facing an asylum application that could drag on for years, Tan said he was prepared to wait out the process that he claimed was now easier thanks to the latest development.
“There’s no next course of action. I’m not in a hurry to go anywhere. I’m in Los Angeles to chase my dream of Hollywood; why would I need my passport to go anywhere?” he said via Facebook.
