Travel restrictions on opposition MPs, activists

PETALING JAYA: The Immigration Department has placed travel bans on several opposition politicians and activists.
Based on checks on the department's website, PKR vice-president Tian Chua, former Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, polls reform group Bersih 2.0 chief Maria Chin Abdullah, Bersih vice-chairman.
Jannie Lasimbang, political analyst and consultant Wong Chin Huat, activists Adam Adli Abdul Halim and Hishammuddin Rais have been placed on a travel ban list.
Lawyer Latheefa Koya said a check on the Immigration Department's website using their identity card numbers confirmed the ban.
However, she said Ambiga had gone to the Immigration office and found that there was no such ban imposed on her.
"Ambiga just informed me that she had gone to the Immigration office and they (officers) claim no ban (was imposed) but the website says otherwise," Latheefa told theSun.
Meanwhile, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok has been barred from entering Sabah and Sarawak, while PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli is only barred from entering Sarawak and is free to travel overseas.
"I have just discussed matters pertaining to this issue with Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and was informed that Rafizi is not barred from travelling overseas but only to Sarawak.
"Meanwhile, I have been barred from entering Sabah and Sarawak," Kok told theSun.
It was reported on Wednesday that Rafizi, along with Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and The Edge Media Group owner Datuk Tong Kooi Ong, have been barred from leaving the country.
It was confirmed earlier yesterday that Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, the managing director of former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd and 1MDB's former chief investment officer, has also been slapped with a travel ban.
It was reported in theSun yesterday that Nik Faisal is among three prominent businessmen wanted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, who are no longer in the country.
The other two are SRC director Suboh Mohd Yassin and businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low who is reportedly operating out of Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, PAS has warned that "bullying" opposition leaders by imposing a travel ban on them would create a negative perception of the government.
Its deputy president, Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, questioned why only opposition politicians had been targeted.
"The negative perception of the government will increase when the public sees that those embroiled in the 1MDB controversy are still free to roam," he said.
He also questioned the actions of the Immigration Department in blacklisting opposition leaders without concrete evidence to support the ban.