Global Bersih said it is not aware of any threats to bar Malaysians from travelling abroad once they return to the country for participating in any overseas Bersih 5 rally.
Global Bersih treasurer Lydia Chai said a New Zealand Herald report suggesting this was “misleading”.
“Global Bersih is not aware of any direct threats to Malaysians overseas of having a travel ban imposed on them as a result of attending Bersih rallies.
“If there are Malaysians overseas who have been threatened as a result of their involvement in Bersih activities, or if they have been warned not to be involved, Global Bersih asks that they come forward and let us know,” she said in a statement.
Chai said the New Zealand Herald report made reference to comments by then-Malaysian Immigration director-general Sakib Kusmi, who in May was reported saying that the government had power to bar Malaysians from travelling abroad if they discredit or ridicule the government.
Sakib had made the comment in response to a travel ban imposed on Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah.
Chai said this news from May was raised again in the New Zealand Herald, which gave the impression that those who participated in overseas Bersih 5 rallies may be barred from travelling after they returned to Malaysia.
“The piece from New Zealand Herald is misleading as it implies that Malaysians in New Zealand have received direct threats of having a travel ban imposed on them,” she said.
Chai was also quoted in the article as saying that the Malaysian government was bullying Malaysians in New Zealand into keeping silent.
She reiterated that Malaysians have the right to express dissent ahead of the Nov 19 Bersih 5 protest in Kuala Lumpur, which is expected to be accompanied by satellite rallies across the globe.
“It is important that we remind the rakyat that the right to dissent is our civil right under Article 10 of our Federal Constitution,” she said.
Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan has also denied that a travel ban would be imposed on those participating in the Bersih 5 rallies.
