After four arrests and a battery of charges under the Sedition Act, social activist Ali Abd Jalil has fled to Sweden to seek asylum.

Ali said this in a Facebook posting citing fear for his own safety.

"Now I am in Sweden, looking for asylum.

"The Malaysian government and sultan treat me like rubbish.

"I have been threatened with gangsters and racist Malay groups in Malaysia.

"Malaysia is not safe for me. Police and gangsters are following me all the time," he said.

He posted a photo of himself, presumably taken in Sweden, holding the pre-independence Sang Saka Malaya flag , which the Malaysian authorities deem seditious.

Ali was among those at the Bar Council's 'Walk for Freedom and Peace 2014' last Thursday. It is believed that he left the country early this week.

The 29-year-old is the second to flee the country after infamous blogger Alvin Tan left the country last month while under bail.

Ali was arrested and detained numerous times over a posting that allegedly insulted the royalty.

During his 22-day detention, Amnesty International had adopted him as a "prisoner of conscience" and launched a global call for his release.

According to the Rakyat Times , Ali is being advised by Amnesty International Sweden in Stockholm on the asylum seeking procedure.

He was reportedly interviewed by Swedish immigration authorities on Thursday and has secured a work permit.

'Young Malaysians driven out'

When contacted, Ali's lawyer New Sin Yew said he has been informed of his client's bid to seek asylum.

"It's sad to see a young Malaysians being driven out of the country by the government and the Sedition Act simply for expressing themselves online.

"Our government should be embarrassed that our youths have to take refuge in other countries because of this draconian and archaic law," he said.

New urged the government to follow through with its promise to abolish the Sedition Act as soon as possible.

Ali was initially charged at the Selayang Sessions Court under Section 4(1)(c) of the Act for allegedly insulting the Selangor sultan.

 

Upon posting bail of RM5,000 in one surety on the same day, Ali was immediately re-arrested at the court and taken to the Shah Alam Sessions Court, where he faced two more counts under the same section of the Act.

He posted bail of RM8,000 for the two charges on Sept 23, only to be re-arrested 10 minutes later to be taken to Johor Bahru to face investigations, also under the Sedition Act for allegedly insulting royalty.

 

The 29-year-old was remanded by the Johor police until Sept 27, but upon release, was re-arrested immediately under a different section of the same  Act in a bid to extend his remand.

He was finally released on bail on Sept 29.