Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah has filed a judicial review to challenge a travel ban imposed on her from travelling outside the country.

This follows the authorities' action to bar her from travelling to South Korea to receive an award – the Gwanju Human Rights Prize – on behalf of the electoral watchdog on May 15, this year.

She named the director-general of Immigration and the Home Ministry as respondents in an application filed at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, by the law firm of Sreenevasan.

The application was filed on July 28.

The case was called up for case management today before registrar Norazlin Othman, who fixed Sept 6 for another case management.

Maria, who leads a coalition of 85 NGOs, seeks to quash the travel ban and set aside the order.

She also sought a declaration that the travel ban is against her constitutional right regarding liberty of a person (Article 5 of the Federal Constitution), equality (Article 8) and Article 10(1)(a) regarding freedom of speech and expression and hence the travel ban is unconstitutional and should be declared null and void.

Maria also sought a declaration that the two respondents acted beyond their jurisdiction and they have unfettered discretion to arrive at a decision in dispute.

The Bersih chairperson also sought a declaration that Sections 59 and 59A of the Immigration Act are unconstitutional, as well as a prohibitory order against the respondents from blacklisting her.

She claimed that the respondents acted ultra vires the Immigration Act 1959 and other existing laws, including violating her constitutional rights, her rights to natural justice and procedural justice.

The respondents were represented by senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan.

Maria had described the travel ban as ridiculous and arbitrary as, just about a week earlier, she was allowed to go to Geneva and New York.