Travel Bar- An Outrageous Way of Handling Criticism

Photo credit: American Society for Cell Biology

A news came out recently that filled me with anger. It was reported that the Immigration Department had enforced a new ruling that prohibits citizens of Malaysia who are found ridiculing the government from travelling overseas up to 3 years. This also includes fellow Malaysians who are found guilty of committing this action abroad as they will be barred upon their return home. There have been several cases in which this rule has been imposed that occurred recently. The most troubling one was when Maria Chin Abdullah, chairperson of Bersih 2.0 who is known for her free and fair election causes was barred from travelling to South Korea to receive a human rights award on the behalf of the organization by the local immigration. In any case, I strongly disagree with this new policy because I feel that the government is abusing its power and going against the democracy system that governs all Malaysians.

As a person who is huge fan of travelling and a strong believer of the democracy system, I do not support this new policy. The last time I checked, Malaysia is a country that practices democracy. Thus, expressing one’s own opinion is also part of democracy even if the opinions are unfair. Okay, even if I am careful of my words spoken towards the Government, there is still a possibility of being faced with questions that requires my views on certain government-related matters or any actions that the government has made. Also, this is such as conundrum because when I am faced with those types of questions; do I answer those questions by sidestepping the issue or give my honest opinion and risk not seeing Mount Fuji, Big Ben and other parts of the world for three years?

However, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Nur Jazlan had defended the policy by stating that the ban only applies to those who violates the Constitution and is a threat to national security. He also claimed that the government follows the Constitution’s definition of insult and any actions equivalent to that merits a travelling ban. First of all, let me assure you that the word insult is not used in any part of the Constitution. The only law that closely forbids that so-called insults is under the Penal Code Section 298A, which prohibits the act on grounds of causing disharmony among races and religion. Though, this has nothing to with ridiculing the government.

In addition, all of us need to be aware that Parliament has amended the Sedition Act 1948 which allows the public to criticise the government. Thus, the travel bar policy must not be continued if the principle itself has been abolished. If the government still wants to implement this rule, then government should only enforced it against people who are charged with genuine crimes to prevent them from escaping the country.

In any case, criticisms should never be outlawed and the government should address these criticisms instead of using force to suppress any disagreements and conflict. If the government does not reconsider this ban, this is just one of the acts that will regressed Malaysia’s current progress back into an era of dictatorship where state sedition investigations, state secrets and now travel restrains will become a norm is our nation.

Moreover, if citizens are banned from traveling abroad just because they do not hold the ruling party and the government in high regards, then we might as well abolish the elections since having different political beliefs is now seen as a crime.

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