After being detained for five days, New Zealand national Natalie Lowrey, who has Australian permanent residency, was released this evening with no decision from the authorities yet to on whether to charge her in court, said Kuantan OCPD Abdul Aziz Salleh.

“She was released today unconditionally on police bail, she will have her passport back and she can leave Malaysia and go anywhere she likes,” he said when contacted by Malaysiakini .

Lowrey was detained together with Himpunan Hijau chief Wong Tack during the 622 Shutdown Lynas campaign last Sunday together with 14 others.

Abdul Aziz said the foreign activist was investigated under Section 145 of the Penal Code and Section 39B of the Immigration Act for allegedly overstaying, and police have concluded their probe.

But after receiving the advice of the deputy public prosecutor, the police will need to investigate her case further, he said.

“So no decision was made on whether she will be charged,” he said, adding that if the prosecution decides to charge her, then she will need to come back to stand trial in a Malaysian court.

Some 1,000 people had converged at the entrance of the factory with around 300 vehicles last Sunday in a blockade of the Lynas rare earth refinery plant, the third attempt made to stymie the plant’s operation.

This was despite police obtaining an injunction against protesters on Saturday preventing them from being within 20 metres of the factory. A total 16 people were nabbed.

Meanwhile, PKR Semambu state assemblyperson Lee Chean Chung said Lowrey was bailed out by Indera Mahkota MP  Fauzi Abdul Rahman.

“Lowrey has told us that she intends to leave Malaysia, without telling us when she plans to do so,” he said.

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