Spending millions of ringgit on international public relations work is meaningless if the government continues to ignore basic human rights principles, DAP international secretary Liew Chin Tong said today.

hamza kashgari 120212 The deportation of 23-year-old Saudi Arabian journalist Hamza Kashgari has shown the world that Malaysia has scant regard for human rights, rule of law and justice, Liew said in a statement.

"Malaysia is not a backwater banana republic. We used to pride ourselves as an important and supposedly principled player in the international arena," said Liew.

Kashgari was deported yesterday and he is expected to face the death sentence in Saudi Arabia for his Twitter posts that allegedly insulted Prophet Muhammad.

Critics argued that Malaysia should have offered Kashgari protection over human rights concerns because he was not likely to get a fair trial in his home country.

The deportation, argued Liew, would undo whatever had been gained from the £17 million paid by the government to disgraced public relations firm FBC Media Ltd for "global strategic communications".

The BBC was forced to issue a global apology for airing programmes produced by FBC Media because of breaches in its editorial guidelines. Eight of these programmes featured Malaysia.

Related stories

Home minister: M'sia no safe haven for the wanted

Contempt motion to be filed against Hisham

A sad day to be Malaysians and Muslims

Mockery of 'moderate M'sia' claim

M'sia - judge, jury and executioner

No apology needed, just pay back RM80mil