KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 ― Despite their names appearing on an immigration blacklist, prominent activists Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and Adam Adli Abdul Halim both confirmed today they have not been stopped from leaving Malaysia for other countries but were restricted from visiting Sabah and Sarawak instead.
Ambiga, a senior lawyer, told Malay Mail Online that her last trip abroad was a month ago. She added that she has also double-checked with the Immigration Department today and they had given her the all-clear to travel to other countries.
“Yes, I have checked and they say I am clear to travel overseas. It probably relates to Sabah and Sarawak,” the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president said in a brief text message.
Ambiga had previously been denied entry to these two east Malaysian states.
Ambiga was on a list of five persons that lawyer Latheefa Koya said were blocked from traveling overseas, based on a check of the Immigration Department’s website using their identity card numbers.
Social activist Adam Adli said that he has been blacklisted on the Immigration Department’s website for years, saying that he first discovered his name being printed online in red colour to denote the travel status since he was stopped from entering Sabah around 2013.
He said he was told then by a journalist that his name is on Sabah’s blacklist of persons that will be blocked from entering the state.
“I had that for years and it has not been lifted until today,” he told Malay Mail Online, referring to his status on the website.
Adam Adli said the red flag may not necessarily mean that a Malaysian is banned from travelling abroad, adding that he has always checked with the immigration authorities before making any overseas trip since being blacklisted and had always been told that he could go on the trips.
“The last time I went to clarify, I can still travel despite my court case,” he said, referring to his sedition conviction that he is currently appealing.
He also explained that he is allowed to travel overseas as his conviction took place before this year’s amendments to the Sedition Act, where the court will make orders upon the prosecution’s request for those undergoing a sedition trial and out on bail to surrender their travel documents.
Adam Adli said he was unsure if he will still be allowed on overseas trip or will face a similar fate like DAP’s Tony Pua ― a staunch critic of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) who was blocked from flying off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday.
“Just about a month ago, I went to Geneva and London and I had no trouble… But maybe this time around, with the current political dynamics, maybe I'll have to go and check again,” he said.
“It's funny to see the government is very paranoid about allowing people to go abroad, especially with people who get involved in political activity, politicians and activists, when the fight is in the country, we will not leave, you don’t have to ban us from travelling abroad,” he added.
Maria Chin Abdullah, who heads polls reform group Bersih 2.0 and was one of the five named, said she is verifying with the immigration authorities on her travel status.
The activist, who last went abroad in April, said she has been barred from entering Sarawak, but said she had recently returned from a Sabah trip.
She questioned the government’s move to place Malaysians on the travel blacklist, saying it was a form of “silencing expression”, pointing out that the government should instead provide answers and deal with the issues raised by those who are blacklisted.
“What Tony and Rafizi (Ramli) raised is about 1MDB and everyone wants to know the answer. Why bar them from going out, it has no relevance.
“For me, I have been talking about parliamentary reforms, institutional reforms, setting up IPCMC (Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission), what is wrong with doing all that? That’s not the way to handle constructive questions,” she asked.
“Definitely on Bersih’s part, we will be looking at legal implications with our lawyers and if they do not disbar us, we will definitely take action.
“Meanwhile I suggest if the immigration have no reason to bar us, then remove that bar for everyone, unless we are criminals. We are not criminals,” she said, claiming that the government was “actually criminalising dissent”.
PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang, who went abroad in April, confirmed that he is blacklisted from travelling overseas and he had discovered this yesterday.
When asked about the possible reasons for the blacklist, he suggested it was pointless to think of a logical reason: “I don’t think we should use logic to think about this, I can’t rationally know why they are doing this and it looks like the list of people banned is huge, it's not just one or two people related to 1MDB so the actual reason can only be known to the prime minister probably.”
Chua said the authorities have to justify the travel blacklist, adding that the situation appears to be turning “more and more ridiculous” with the 1MDB controversy unresolved, while social activists and those who have critical views are being targeted.
“This looks like Malaysia is heading towards a dictatorship,” said the politician, who has previously been barred from entering Sabah and Sarawak.
Activist Hishamuddin Rais ― who is also appealing a sedition conviction ― said he had merely read the news on his travel status, adding that he was on a trip to perform stand-up comedy in London last year.
When asked if he is banned from Sabah or Sarawak, he replied in a text message: “Not that I know of.”
In a statement today, Bersih 2.0 said its vice-chairman overseeing Sabah, Jannie Lasimbang and expert consultant Wong Chin Huat have also been found to be on the blacklist with instructions to refer to the nearest Immigration office before going abroad.
