Malaysian Politician Defends Xenophon Deportation

Malaysian politician defends Xenophon deportation

Updated 19 February 2013, 11:31 AEST

A Malaysian political party says Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon deserved to be deported for trying to interfere in the country's domestic affairs.

Australian independent MP Nick Xenophon has been refused entry to Malaysia after being invited to the country by the democracy group Bersih. The treatment of Senator Xenaphon comes amidst political tension in Malaysia, where Prime Minister Najib Razak must call an election before the end of April. (Credit: ABC) 

 

A Malaysian political party says an Australian politician deserved to be deported for trying to interfere in the country's domestic affairs.

Senator Nick Xenophon was detained on arrival at Kuala Lumpur airport at the weekend and told he posed a security threat before being sent out of the country.
Back in Australia, the senator, an independent in parliament, told Radio Australia's Pacific Mornings his deportation is curious, "given that I was to meet a senior government minister and the election commission with some of my colleagues."

 

Audio: Nick Xenophon talks to Radio Australia (ABC News)

"Clearly there are some in the Malaysian Government who are very worried about the forthcoming elections," he added.

Senator Xenophon had travelled to Malaysia with other Australian parliamentarians at the invitation of the Malaysian transparency and electoral reform group Bersih, or "Clean".
"So we weren't being interfering Australians."

But Malaysia's Gerakan Party, part of the ruling coalition, has defended the decision to deport Senator Xenophon.

I fully agree with his deportation, we do not welcome him in Malaysia.
He should not have interfered with the political scenario in Malaysia.
I think he has to mind his own business.

Tan Keng Liang, the Gerakan Party's youth chief in Kedah state

The party's youth chief in Kedah state, Tan Keng Liang, has told Radio Australia's Asia Pacific that Malaysia is not a dictatorship and does not need lessons on democracy from an Australian politician.
"In the past, we noted that Mr Xenophon had supported the movement of Bersih," he said.

"Bersih has held a street demonstration last year, which ended up as a violent street demonstration, and has caused severe injuries to Malaysians and destruction of public property.

"Therefore, I have no objection in our government in deporting Mr Xenophon."
Mr Tan, who is also a practicing lawyer, says Senator Xenophon should have been told in advance he was not welcome.

Audio: Deportation in line with Malaysian laws: Gerakan Party (ABC News)

"I think that the Malaysian Government may have made a mistake - they should have informed Mr Nick Xenophon that he was not welcome in Malaysia in advance," he said.

"That I believe is a mistake. But I have no issue - and I fully agree - with his deportation, we do not welcome him in Malaysia.

"He should not have interfered with the political scenario in Malaysia. I think he has to mind his own business."

'Unusual circumstance'

The South Australian senator had been about to join a delegation which had meetings planned with Malaysian opposition members and officials from the electoral commission ahead of this year's national election.

Instead he was detained, in a move Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Carr has described as sad and disappointing.

The Australian Opposition's foreign affairs spokeswoman, Julie Bishop, says it was "unusual" for Malaysia to detain an Australian senator.

Ms Bishop says Australia must ensure it maintains a strong relationship with its close neighbour.
"It's clearly a very unusual circumstance for an Australian member of parliament to be denied entry to Malaysia and we do await a full explanation from the Malaysian Government," she said.

Malaysian MP Nurrul Izzah Anwar, who is the daughter of Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, has criticised the decision to deport Senator Xenophon and his delegation from Malaysia.

Ms Nurrul Izzah told Australia Network's Newsline that his visit was aimed at strengthening democracy in Malaysia, and he had "not broken any Malaysian laws."

"What's wrong with having an Australian senator, legislator, coming to Malaysia to observe the electoral system," the vice president of the Opposition PKR said.

"If [President Najib Razak] has nothing to hide, then he should not stop Senator Xenophon or anyone else from coming into Malaysia."

Senator Xenophon, who is outspoken on human rights issues in Malaysia, told a media conference back in Australia he was relieved to be home.

 

Video: Malaysian opposition PKR (Newsline)

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Radio Australia: Xenophon Home After Malaysia Deportation

Xenophon home after Malaysia deportation

Updated 17 February 2013, 14:08 AEST

 

Independent senator Nick Xenophon believes an order to expel him from Malaysia came from the highest levels of the country's government.

Independent Nick Xenophon has arrived in Melbourne after his deportation from Malaysia, saying he believes his advocacy of democracy led to the Malaysian government's decision to refuse him entry. (Credit: ABC) 

Federal independent senator Nick Xenophon has arrived back in Australia after being deported from Malaysia.

Senator Xenophon was taken into custody at Kuala Lumpur airport yesterday, and told he was banned from entering the country because he had been deemed a security threat.

Senator Xenophon, who is outspoken on human rights issues in Malaysia, boarded a flight home early this morning.

He arrived in Melbourne about 9.20am (AEDT), and told a media conference he was relieved to be home.

He said he planned to frame his deportation notice, and it would take "pride of place" in his office.
"I think [my family] are used to me getting in trouble, but nothing quite like this," he said.

"But I assured them I was in good hands, that the High Commissioner and his staff were simply outstanding in the support they gave me. I'm very grateful for that."
Senator Xenophon said he was "gobsmacked" when he was "taken away" and detained for nine hours.

I think [my family] are used to me getting in trouble, but nothing quite like this.

Nick Xenophon

"I was told that I was being deported under a certain section of the immigration act which basically relates to being a security risk," he said.

"But it seems the only risk I am is to embarrassing the Malaysian government because of my advocacy for clean elections in Malaysia."

Senator Xenophon says his lawyers believe the order came from the top.
"Their understanding is that this came from a level probably from the PM's office. That's speculation, but that's for the PM's office to confirm or deny," he said..

The South Australian senator had been about to join a delegation which had meetings planned with Malaysian opposition members and officials from the electoral commission ahead of this year's national election.

Instead he was detained, in a move Foreign Minister Bob Carr described as sad and disappointing.
Senator Carr says he has spoken to Dato Sri Anifah HJ Aman, his counterpart in Malaysia, and expressed his disappointment over the incident.

"He said Malaysia took strong objection to foreigners interfering in their election campaign. He said Malaysia's democracy did not appreciate this interference from a politician outside the country," Senator Carr said.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd said the detainment was unacceptable and Australia should be robust in its response.

"We are robust about our democracy and therefore we should be robust in our response," he said.
"He's an elected member of the Australian Parliament and should be treated with the appropriate respect."

Former Greens leader Bob Brown said the deportation showed how close Malaysia was to a police state.

"We need more people from outside going to countries like Malaysia, which masquerade under the name of democracy, but lock up anybody who the government doesn't like," he said.

 

Video: Carr to seek explanation for Xenophon deportation (ABC News)

Senator Xenophon hopes the incident will put pressure on Malaysia, but does not think it will damage relations.
"Australia and Malaysia are the greatest of friends," he said.

"This shouldn't affect the relationship but I think if the Malaysian government thought that they were doing the smart thing, I think it spectacularly backfired on them.

"This was going to be a low-key visit ... none of you would have heard about.

"But if it means more Australians in the region are aware of how dire and critical the state of Malaysian democracy is and how Malaysian democracy is at the crossroads, then that unambiguously is a good thing."

He said he did not know how long he would be classified as a security threat.
"I've been told I'm now on a watch list, which is fairly ominous, and that I am on a do not enter list for an indefinite period," he said.

"I don't know how many years or decades it will be before I can set foot in the Malaysian airport."

Video: Xenophon says he's been put on Malaysia's watch list (7pm TV News NSW)

Nationals Senator John Williams, Labor MP Steve Georganas, and Liberal MP Mal Washer were also part of the delegation with Senator Xenophon, but have now pulled out.
Malaysia's director-general of immigration, Alias Ahmad, said Senator Xenophon had been denied entry for breaking the law on a previous visit.

Mr Ahmad said in a government statement that "Malaysia is a free and democratic country, but no-one is above the law".

The Senator was invited to Malaysia on a fact-finding mission last year by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

During his stay he observed one of the country's biggest street demonstrations for electoral reform in decades.
He later criticised the government's handling of the rally and what he described as biased coverage by state media.

Mr Ibrahim has criticised the decision to deport Senator Xenophon.

"This reflects the desperation of the authorities, the ruling government, to silence critics and not to allow the international community to observe the ... fraudulent process of the election," he said.
But international relations expert Amrita Malhi said it was not surprising that Malaysia saw Senator Xenophon as a risk to its electoral security and autonomy.

She said Malaysia - once colonised by outsiders - was particularly sensitive towards foreign involvement.

"It makes it possible, I guess, for the government to argue to a certain constituency, 'we're protecting our autonomy and sovereignty by deporting this meddling foreigner', so I think that's probably how it's meant to play," she said.

But the president of the Malaysian Bar Council, Lee Chee Wee, says there is no reason why the senator should have been deported.

He described it as a senseless and stupid act.

"I think the prime minister, who has high aspirations that Malaysia's a modern democracy, must realise that aspiration must be followed by action," he said.

Senator Xenophon was also a part of an observer group that published a report on the Malaysian electoral system last April.

He is currently pursuing a defamation case against government-backed media in Malaysia that misattributed a speech he gave on Scientology to the word of Islam.

 

Video: Malaysia expert Clive Kessler discusses Nick Xenophon's deportation (ABC News)

Topics:

• Australia
• Federal Government
• Foreign Affairs
• Malaysia
• SA
• VIC

PET+BLOGSPOT is the ONLINE BLOG of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association or Petpositive. Our stories are CURRENT, ACCURATE and RELIABLE. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then are now 150,000 and ever increasing! PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly note that views expressed in PET+BLOGSPOT are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my You can also find us in Facebook under PETPOSITIVE EMPOWERMENT. Please sign up as a FOLLOWER of this Blog if you haven't done so already in order to show us your kind support for our work. Thank you!