Apologise, lift travel bans on Maria Chin and Tony Pua, DPM told

KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 ― Lim Kit Siang today demanded an apology from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the travel restrictions imposed on DAP’s Tony Pua and Bersih 2.0’s Maria Chin Abdullah.

Lim added that apart from issuing a personal apology to the duo, the Umno minister should also immediately lift the travel ban as it is a fundamental right of every citizen to be able to travel abroad.

The Gelang Patah MP also expressed surprise at deputy home minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed’s remarks yesterday that the government did not need to provide any reason for stopping Chin from leaving the country.

“The ban on Maria Chin from travelling overseas is wrong on three grounds. It is undemocratic, a violation of fundamental liberty on freedom of movement; and it makes a complete mockery of Malaysia’s commitment to promote human rights,” Lim said in a statement.

He pointed out that Chin was stopped from boarding a flight to South Korea where she was to receive on behalf of Bersih 2.0 the Gwangju Prize on Human Rights, an award previously received by Aung Sang Suu Kyi and Xanana Gusmao.

In Pua’s case, Lim noted that the lawmaker, who has been barred from leaving Malaysia since July last year, had to go to court to compel Putrajaya to give its reasons for the ban.

He noted that it was revealed that Pua was blocked because he was under police investigations for “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy”, although he had so far only been called in as a witness in the probe.

“I call on the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, to assume personal responsibility for the violation of Maria Chin and Tony Pua’s democratic and human rights in barring them from travelling overseas, tender a personal apology and to take immediate action to restore to Maria Chin and Tony Pua their fundamental democratic right to travel freely overseas,” Lim said.

On Sunday, Chin was stopped by airport officials when she tried to board a flight to South Korea where she was due to accept the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights award.

She said no explanation was given for the ban, and described the move as outrageous and a violation of her constitutional freedoms.

It was reported last month that Bersih 2.0 won the award for its efforts in pushing for electoral reform in Malaysia.

According to the Bersih 2.0 steering committee, the award was to commemorate the spirit of the democratic fight by the people in Gwangju on May 1980 when they stood up against the military regime in South Korea.