No one is above the law – including the Immigration Department and the action of the department to continue to deport MA Quayum, a Bangladeshi politician in spite of a KL High Court decision sends a message that it is indeed, above the law.
If there was no court order not to deport MA Quayum, then one can argue on other human rights grounds that sending him back to Bangladesh court be life threatening for him. But in this case there was one and the Immigration Department acted against it.
How does this look in the eyes of the public when a powerful Government department like the Immigration Department dismisses a court order, the KL High Court, and still go ahead with doing what it wants? Can other other departments and agencies do the same now? Will the Immigration Department deport our fellow Palestinian brothers and sisters who are seeking refuge and protection from being persecuted, back to a war zone, where death is almost certain at the hands of a zionist dictatorship? If no, then what is the reason and the secrecy of deporting MA Quayum?
This heavy-handed response to a court decision does not augur well for the administration ands the nation as just a week ago, Malaysia presented a handsome national report at the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review – which included managing refugees and migrants, also as part of the UN Human Rights Council.
This appears to be a far cry from the presentation on a global human rights platform in Geneva and what really happens back home in Malaysia.
The Director General must be accountable on his actions and provide a public explanation why this person, or any person for that matter, should be deported when there is a clear stay of deportation made by a High Court. Violating a court order is no small matter and must be dealt with swiftly.
Malaysia has 50 points, 3 more than the previous year on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. This is indeed commendable but the action by the Immigration Department to blatantly disregard a court order is morally corrupt and will tarnish the good name of the department, Ministry and Government.
The deportation of Bangladeshi MA Quayum must be immediately halted and the Immigration Department must come clean on why it decided to go against the order of the KL High Court on its stay of deportation.