— The Malaysian Insider
Feb 16, 2013
FEB 16 — According to Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, there is nothing political about denying entry to and expelling Australian Senator Nick Xenophon today.
That it was an immigration issue and done according to the law, he said.
But Immigration Director-General Datuk Alias Ahmad said Xenophon was barred entry under Section 8(3) of the Immigration Act as a “prohibited immigrant” because he called the Malaysian government “authoritarian” in handling the Bersih 3.0 rally for free and fair elections last April.
“He tarnished the image of the country,” Alias told The Malaysian Insider.
So, we stop people from entering the country because they say bad things about our government? That isn’t political? That is law?
You know what that is? That’s shameful. And it makes us look like fools and frustrates the government’s efforts to open up and show it has nothing to fear with greater democratisation.
Wasn’t it Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who sought to repeal security laws and press laws that hinder freedom of expression and restrict the movement of government critics?
Why do we have a Home Ministry that decides it can stop people from entering the country because they criticised its handling of a rally a year ago?
Why do we have such thin-skinned and shallow-thinking people in the Cabinet and the civil service? Why are there xenophobes in the government, one that wants to be progressive and transformative?
Every step forward taken by the Najib administration seems to be crippled into a half step backward by such actions like today’s barring of Xenophon from entering Malaysia.
It is like a perverse pleasure to shoot oneself in the foot just to prove you can still walk or hobble despite your injuries. The government now risks international criticism for the short-sighted move of barring Xenophon today for comments made last year.
Shutting the door on Xenophon will just prove that he is right about the Malaysian government being “authoritarian”. That is the greater tragedy of a government that wants to prove it runs a great democracy.
#1 by Winston on Sunday, 17 February 2013 - 8:32 pm
“He tarnished the image of the country,” Alias told The Malaysian Insider. – End of quote
With a bunch of clowns in the top
hierarchy of UMNO/BN, there is
absolutely no need whatsoever for
others to tarnish the image of the
country!!!
They themselves are already doing
an excellent job!!!
#2 by yhsiew on Sunday, 17 February 2013 - 8:52 pm
The deportation of Australian Senator Nick Xenophon readily debunked Najib’s claim that Malaysia is one of the best democracies in the world.
#3 by rjbeee on Sunday, 17 February 2013 - 8:53 pm
Election coming, cari makan Brother, they are peeing in their pants…..the biggest Dongkey-mamak and the group..Hope this donkeys are put inside soonest…..
#4 by rjbeee on Sunday, 17 February 2013 - 8:55 pm
Civil service is full of them.. Bumis.. so what you expect…..
#5 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Sunday, 17 February 2013 - 9:34 pm
Kerismuddin is utterly incompetent.
sometimes, he talks like a small boy doing small jobs.
Other times, he behaves like a peon carrying out small works.
Thank God BN is on way out. Teruknya.
#6 by gofortruth on Sunday, 17 February 2013 - 9:55 pm
Without his kris,Hishammuddin thinks he can simply push people around with his arrogant bulldozer at his whimps & fancy.
He has brought such shame disgrace to Malaysia. He has tarnished the name of our belove country, Malaysia.
#7 by putrapenang on Sunday, 17 February 2013 - 10:07 pm
Now now will all due respect…please becareful when making such ‘xenophobic’ comments. Quite uncalled for. Do you have a problem with Bumis rjbeee? I have a problem with incompetent government servants – Bumi or non-Bumis (since that’s how you ‘put it’ rjbeee). I hope that’s the case for you too.
And before anyone jump the gun and say am a ‘umnoputra’ etc – think again. I have been following this blog as long as some and I will not hesitate to comment when necessary. And like Zairil…am one of the ‘Bumis’ to have supported DAP in Penang and have been following YB since the Project Tanjung Trilogy.
#8 by Noble House on Sunday, 17 February 2013 - 11:34 pm
With friends like these who needs enemies? Not only do we have a clown for the Home Minister but the DG of Immigration is playing politics it seemed.
#9 by boh-liao on Monday, 18 February 2013 - 12:00 am
Hisap only knew taliphon, Xenophon coming, how NOT 2 b xenophobic, man
#10 by john on Monday, 18 February 2013 - 12:03 am
He meant according to UMNO/bn ‘laws’ in BolehLand and very selective in format – hence, what laws ? ; only based on their whims and fancies ! ( ALL TO ENSURE TO CLING TO POWER BY HOOK OR BY CROOK )
#11 by lee tai king (previously dagen) on Monday, 18 February 2013 - 8:36 am
Wait wait wait wait.
Hold a second will ya.
I just want to clear up a point.
Isnt this the same guy who said that there are two kinds of bad guys.
Those who are bad in a good sort of way and those who are bad in a bad way?
#12 by Cinapek on Monday, 18 February 2013 - 11:07 am
Don’t quite believe the DG acted on his own initiative. Someone higher up must have directed him to do so. That is why the excuses given by the DG and the Home ministry do not gel. As usual these clowns did not get their act together properly before shooting from the hips and shot themselves in the foot instead. Just like the episode of the wild claim from the Home Minister that the DAP not submitting their report to the ROS on time. Or the silly defense of the Health minister that the PDRM did not fire water tear gas into Tung Shin Hospital.
Well, we cannot expect too much from a minister who defends a bunch of racists provocatively dragging a cow’s head in Shah Alam or making the wild claim that “there was some truth in the allegations that the Christians in Penang were plotting to take over the Govt” and who promised a full investigation to get at the truth but not a word since.
#13 by on cheng on Tuesday, 19 February 2013 - 3:18 pm
Nick Xen. –one man no gun = threat to national security!
Lahad Datu,– 100 men with guns= not threat to national security so let them stay as long as they want??
Logic? or not? Eh??
If like this, don’t be surprise one day, more from our neighbours may do similar things, send 100 men with guns, repeat 10 times, 20 times! then HOW??