YOURSAY ‘Or is he happily gallivanting around, utilising his alleged dual citizenship?’

Pua and Rafizi barred from leaving country

SteveOh: This is a flagrant insult to the supreme head of Malaysia on whose authority and request anyone who holds a Malaysian passport is to be given free passage 'without let or hindrance'.

This is made clear in printed word on the front of every Malaysian passport. Why is MP Tony Pua denied this basic right? Everyone can see he is being unfairly persecuted for doing his job as an elected Member of Parliament in rebutting the misinformation surrounding the 1MDB scandal.

The Immigration Department can't be dragged into politics and have its reputation tarnished. Which particular bit of the law obliges this department to follow the orders?

Pemerhati: All that has happened is that a foreigner has revealed that the top leader of Malaysia and his cohorts have allegedly stolen billions of the people’s money through the 1MDB scam.

This top leader, who has almost dictatorial powers, is worried that this damming information, which is being highlighted by people like MPs Pua, Rafizi Ramli, The Edge Media Group owner Tong Kooi Ong and others, will be very detrimental to his reputation, and hence to his hold on power.

So he has got his many lackeys, like the current and former IGPs (inspector-generals of police) and the government chief secretary, Ali Hamsa, to give a spin to the massive theft and say ridiculous falsehoods like, “certain parties in the country were conspiring with foreign elements against the national leadership which could threaten the democratic process in the country. Such matters could threaten public order and national security as they are acts of treason”.

Like a panicked person, he is abusing his authority by restricting the overseas travel of his critics and is also likely to retaliate against them by other harsh means.

Np: To be fair, the PM and his wife should be required to stay in the country since they are currently being investigated.

Negarawan: Of course, PM Najib Razak will not impose a travel ban on himself. But he faces a bigger problem. He is not welcomed in the United States and European Union. He will encounter a hostile press which will spare him no mercy.

Heads of state are also reluctant to meet with him and will keep their distance. As news about the 1MDB mega scandal is gaining wide international coverage and interest (unlike the Altantuya Shaariibuu case), intelligent and learned observers can differentiate for themselves the credibility of information sources.

They will see the gross abuses of the law, and the subservient and corrupt actions of the authorities against innocent dissenters and whistleblowers.

They will see the true picture of Malaysia versus the false picture that Umno tries to paint overseas. They will see how Islam is used as a facade for committing corruption/crime and for vote fishing.

When the US starts investigations into the 1MDB fraud and money laundering, all the ‘tampering’ allegations by Umno will be demolished.

Supercession: What about the board members of 1MDB, former journalist Lester Melanyi, and the four minions?

Has action also been taken against Jho Low who is happily gallivanting around utilising his alleged dual citizenship? Or is this just Umno & Co's desperate way of hiding the dreaded truth?

Justine Gow: Actually the authorities need not worry about Pua running away. He is not the one responsible for the missing money or the huge debt in 1MDB.

It should be more concerned about someone else who may eventually have to leave the country when he can no longer take the pressure piled on him over this 1MDB scandal.

Anonymous_1423808262: With the latest developments, it seems that Najib et al have decided to go for the jugular and there's no turning back.

Anticipate the arrests of the alleged 10 (who allegedly met former PetroSaudi International director Xavier Andre Justo) to be round-up and brought to court within the next few days after their prosecutors have meticulously drafted the charges.

The aim of this exercise is to silence all the critics once and for all. Former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad will not be put in the lock-up this round but if he continues to be vocal after this, there's no guarantee he would not be reined in.

Somebody has decided to play dirty. Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan is the BN strategic director for a reason. The stage is already set for "I live and you die". Very interesting days ahead.

Behsaikong: There is no point complaining. Our complaints will neither be heard nor considered. Only our votes can make them listen. We get the government we deserve. They can't be government and act this way if they have not been voted in by the people.

The people's votes crown them as government. In this or a former form, they have been the government since 1957 (voted in in 1955) and 1963 respectively.

For 58 years, this country has not seen or experienced a government that is not the Alliance and then, BN. The people voted them in at each and every general election. We get what we have voted for.

Hang Babeuf: The great irony in this is: The IGP claims to be acting under section 124 of the Penal Code: 'Assaulting Member of Parliament, etc, with intent to compel or restrain the exercise of any lawful power.'

[Criminal force is defined as 'Whoever intentionally uses force to any person, without that person’s consent, in order to cause the committing of any offence, or intending by the use of such force illegally to cause, or knowing it to be likely that by the use of such force he will illegally cause injury, fear, or annoyance to the person to whom the force is used, is said to use criminal force to that other.]

This does not apply to what Rafizi and Pua have done in the 1MDB matter. But it does apply to the IGP's actions.

In any "normal" country, it is highly improper to obstruct and restrict in this way the movement of Members of Parliament in the course of their conduct of their public duties.

So, if he were "for real", the IGP would arrest the IGP under Section 124. But don't hold your breath waiting.

Speaking Sense: You are a hero if you conspire to steal from the country, but you are a traitor if you try to find out if this is true.

"Methinks there is something rotten in the state of Denmark." (Hamlet)

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