Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) today urged the Home Affairs ministry to furnish detailed information on the names and backgrounds of all 78 who have been banned from travelling overseas for allegedly tarnishing the country's image.

PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali said the blanket ban disclosed on Monday was an "outrageous action" which was shocking and would make it impossible for the 78 even to go overseas for holidays with their families.

"The ministry must provide details of what each individual is alleged to have done that really tarnished the image of the country, to deserve this punishment," he said.

On Monday, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Zainal Abidin Zin told Parliament that the government has prohibited the unnamed 78 from going overseas as their previous activities while in overseas were found to be prejudicial to national security.

"Their names have been blacklisted and they will not be issued with passports," he said.

Husin said that most of those banned could be leaders or activists from opposition parties and non-government organisations.

Bring them to court

He added that the ministry should reveal what the 78 had done to tarnish the image of the country.

"We are aware that a number of political activists have given speeches in different places overseas attacking the unjust policies of Barisan Nasional government and especially the authoritarian and undemocratic nature of the top government leadership.

"But attacks on government and government leaders cannot and should not be equated with tarnishing the image of Malaysia," added Syed Husin.

He also asked if the 78 were given any notice before the decision to ban them from travelling overseas was made.

"We challenge the home affairs minister and the government to charge and try all 78 persons in open court if they have evidence against any of these people. If they cannot do this, then we demand that the minister withdraws immediately this senseless ban," he added.

Yesterday, Keadilan leader Dr Chandra Muzaffar said the government must withdraw the ban as it amounts to political victimisation by the government which fears losing powers.

He said that the ban was a sign of the government using whatever means to pressure the people from being critical. He added that such a move will only discredit the country in the international arena.

Inquiry

Meanwhile, DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang called on the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to set up an inquiry into the ban as it constituted a new form of human rights violations.

He said that article 13(2) of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides a right to everyone to "leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country".

"It is most deplorable that in the era of globalisation and liberalisation, the Barisan Nasional government has resorted to more and more authoritarian measures which are hallmarks of totalitarian regimes," he said.

He said that Suhakam should act on its own volition to investigate into this matter without any delay.