Amnesty International has slammed the Malaysian government’s plans to revoke or refuse to issue passports to critics, calling it as yet another demonstration of increasing intolerance in the country.

The rights watchdog noted news reports quoting Immigration Department director-general Sakib Kusmi saying that critics of the government could be denied the right to travel for three years.

“A travel ban on critics will mark a dangerous escalation in the government’s on-going crackdown on dissent,” said Josef Benedict, Amnesty International’s deputy director for South-East Asia and the Pacific in a statement.

He argued that the right to freedom of speech and movement are key human rights which the Malaysian people deserve to enjoy just like any other people,

“In the last few years Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has continued to restrict freedom of expression, at times, even putting limitations on the free movement of individuals, and has detained a whole array of people, including human rights defenders, political activists and opposition politicians.

“This is  giving rise to a climate of fear. The government’s plans will further shut down what is already an extremely limited space for civil society,” warned Benedict.

In recent years various activists and opposition politicians had been barred from traveling overseas. The latest to be slapped with the travel ban was Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah who was stopped from exiting the country while she was on her way to accept a human rights award.

Earlier today, Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed affirmed Sakib’s statement that the Immigration Department has the right to bar those who ridicule the government from leaving the country, based on immigration regulations.
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He advised those who are vocal against the government to check with the Immigration Department if they are on a travel blacklist before making travel plans.

“Don’t act hastily and then claim she is blocked,” he told reporters.