Malaysia allows any foreigner into the country so long he or she doesn't have any criminal record, so say Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Suspect in US attacks who entered M'sia 'had no criminal record', Sept 22). Why then was Mabel Au barred from entering our country?

Has Mabel Au ever committed any crime in Malaysia or elsewhere? Is she in the Interpol watch-list? Is it a crime to visit a political prisoner in Malaysia?

The immigration authorities had no reason to stop her from entering the country. They dismissed her without giving her any reasons. She was treated as though she was a suspected criminal on remand at the airport before taking the next flight out. Even if prison authorities in Kamunting deny her application to visit her fianc Tian Chua, that is still no reason for not allowing her into the country.

Why are our Malaysian police are so secretive about these foreigners from the Middle East which later turned out to have links with the World Trade Center attack and USS Cole warship bombings? Why can't they tell us when and what these people were doing here? Hadn't we pledged to fight terrorism?

I hope our government is fighting terrorism and militancy activities in the open and not in total secrecy by using the Internal Security Act, like what happened to Keadilan members and the Malaysian Mujahideen Group (KMM) who were alleged to be involved in such activities.

Incidentally, our home minister also told the US that it must be sure of those behind the WTC incident before it strikes back. I can only dream that our government would be able to practise what it preaches with regard to making ISA arrests. Our government preaches a set of international policies but practices differently in domestic affairs.