WHAT happened to Fahmi Reza is, unfortunately, nothing new. Many have gone through the same, including myself.
After the 2018 general election, when there was a change of government, and after I retired from public service, I found myself barred from travelling abroad. My applications to perform Umrah were denied twice.
To my shock, checks with the Immigration Department revealed that the restriction was requested by MACC – an agency I once led as Chief Commissioner.
The travel ban was only lifted during the tenure of the ninth prime minister after I requested MACC to review the matter.
This was not just a personal ordeal – it was a clear violation of Article 9(2) of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to move freely within Malaysia and to leave the country.
Such restrictions, imposed without due process or transparency, are unethical, unlawful and unconstitutional.
This practice must stop.
• No agency should have unchecked power to silently restrict a person’s freedom of movement.
• These powers must not be weaponised or used as political tools.
• Authority must never be used as a tool for silent punishment.
We need urgent institutional reform to ensure such powers are subject to legal oversight, accountability and transparency - only then can we truly uphold justice and the rule of law.
