Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Justice Hanipah Farikullah today agreed to recuse herself from hearing cartoonist Zunar's judicial review application to challenge the overseas travel ban imposed on him by the authorities.

Justice Hanipah allowed lawyers Latheefa Koya and Raul Lee Bhaskaran's application to recuse herself.

This was verified by senior federal counsel Mohd Rizal Fadzil who appeared for the Immigration Department, and Latheefa after they appeared from Justice Hanipah's chambers.

Latheefa said they applied to recuse the judge as Justice Hanipah had decided in similar cases like this with regard to Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and activist Hishamudin Rais.

It was reported that Pua's application to challenge his overseas travel ban was dismissed by Justice Hanipah on the grounds travelling abroad is not a constitutional right while Hishamudin's application for leave was also denied on April 15, last year.

Zunar whose real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Ul-Haque, named the Immigration Department, Home Ministry and the police in his judicial review application at the KL High Court on Dec 7.

This was after Zunar was not allowed to travel and board a plane to travel to Singapore to attend a forum at the National University of Singapore on Oct 17.

The cartoonist said the travel ban violated his constitutional rights under Article 5 (right to life), Article 8 (right to equality) and Article 9 (right to movement).