Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) strongly condemns the Sabah state government’s decision to deny entry and deport activist and graphic artist Fahmi Reza upon arrival at Kota Kinabalu International Airport on 29 May.
The entry ban appears to be in retaliation for Fahmi’s satirical caricature of Musa Aman in a public space in Kota Kinabalu in December 2024.
While the Sabah state government has the authority under the Immigration Act 1959/63 to regulate entry into the state, this discretion should not be exercised in a manner that contravenes the Federal Constitution.
Article 9 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of movement, which must not be curtailed arbitrarily – especially when the restriction stems from the exercise of the constitutional freedom of expression.
A politically motivated entry ban, imposed in retaliation for satire, runs counter to the principles of necessity and proportionality under international freedom of expression standards.
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Fahmi’s case is also far from unique. Civil society leaders such as Thomas Fann, Wong Chin Huat, and Jerald Joseph continue to face travel bans from Sarawak, imposed in response to their peaceful advocacy work on governance, electoral reform and environmental justice.
These longstanding restrictions reflect a broader pattern of state-level misuse of immigration discretion to structurally exclude dissenting voices, whilst shielding political elites from scrutiny.
Such actions suppress Malaysia’s democratic discourse and erode public trust in the rule of law and institutional accountability.
Suaram calls on the Sabah state government to rescind the entry ban on Fahmi Reza and to ensure that immigration powers are exercised transparently and proportionately and in accordance with human rights standards.
We further urge all levels of government to uphold the rights to freedom of expression and movement – not just in principle, but in practice – and to immediately review and end the use of travel bans as a tool to punish dissent and restrict civic space. – Suaram
Sevan Doraisamy is the executive director of Suaram.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
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- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
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