An Australian lawmaker was detained at the Kuala Lumpur airport Saturday and is expected to be deported acccording to an activist.
Nick Xenophon, an outspoken independent Senator, was detained at the international airport near the capital Kuala Lumpur upon his arrival from Melbourne.
"He informed me that he is being deported," Ambiga Sreenevasan, a lawyer and co-chair of electoral reform group Bersih, told AFP after she spoke to Xenophon early Saturday.
The Malaysian government is yet to comment on the circumstances surrounding Xenophon's detention but Ambiga said it appeared to be "under the Security Offences Act".
"(Authorities) said he is a security risk," she added.
Xenophon, who has travelled to Malaysia several times, was to meet Bersih members and others including opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and Election Commission officials next week, Ambiga said.
Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Carr said Australian officials were in touch with Xenophon, as well as Malaysia's foreign and home ministers, and were seeking his "swift release" from custody.
"Senator Xenophon's detention is a surprising and disappointing act from a country with which Australia routinely maintains strong diplomatic relations," he said in a statement.
The Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, or SOSMA, was introduced in Malaysia last year to replace the much-criticised colonial-era Internal Security Act, which allowed indefinite detention without trial.
Prime Minister Najib Razak has touted SOSMA and other reforms to show he is granting more civil liberties, but rights group have criticised the new act, saying it still gives broad powers to detain people for too long.
Malaysia has deported several foreigners in recent years. Among them was a French lawyer representing a human rights group in an inquiry into alleged corruption linked to Najib.
AFP
Sat Feb 16 2013
Kes 1MDB: Najib percaya Blackstone dikawal Arab Saudi, Raja Abdullah - Saksi
Saksi memberitahu Najib percaya bahawa syarikat Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners dikawal oleh kerajaan Arab Saudi dan Raja Arab Saudi.
Apple dalam perbincangan guna teknologi OpenAI dalam iOS 18 - Laporan
iOS 18 akan membawakan perubahan paling besar untuk sistem operasi iPhone tahun ini dan integrasi sistem AI akan akhirnya didedahkan.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: BN pamer komitmen tinggi pastikan kemenangan calon - Loke
BN menunjukkan komitmen tinggi dalam memastikan kemenangan calon PH, pada PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu.
Empat maut, dua pacuan empat roda bertembung
Empat individu maut dalam kemalangan melibatkan dua pacuan empat roda di Kilometer 78, Jalan Kota Bharu-Gua Musang tengah malam tadi.
Uqasha Senrose selamat bersalin, beri nama anak Uqaira
Pelakon Uqasha Senrose mengumumkan telah selamat melahirkan puteri sulungnya pada awal pagi Sabtu.
Thomas Cup: Permulaan cemerlang buat Malaysia
Malaysia bermula cemerlang pada perlawanan pembukaan Piala Thomas 2024, dengan menewaskan Hong Kong 5-0 hari ini.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Proses penamaan calon lancar - Polis Selangor
Proses penamaan calon bagi PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu hari ini berjalan lancar tanpa sebarang insiden tidak diingini.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Pembangunan anak muda, wanita menjadi fokus Pang
Agenda pembangunan anak muda dan wanita akan menjadi fokus utama calon PH Pang Sock Tao, pada PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Kerajaan tidak bercadang gantung sementara helikoper Fennec, HOM
Kerajaan setakat ini tidak bercadang untuk menggantung sementara perkhidmatan helikopter jenis Fennec dan HOM.
Kejohanan Dunia Boling Padang: Tiga gangsa dalam tangan, misi tukar warna pingat
Skuad boling padang negara layak ke pusingan separuh akhir dalam kesemua kategori yang dipertandingkan di Kejohanan Dunia Dalam Dewan 2024.
Lima muka baru hasil rombakan kabinet Australia
Perdana Menteri Australia, Julia Gillard membariskan lima muka baru dalam rombakan kabinetnya selepas Gillard tidak dicabar dalam pengundian parti buruh yang diadakan baru-baru ini.