INFID Condemns Malaysia for Deporting Human Rights Activist
7 January 2016 21:00 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID) has condemned the actions of the Malaysian government, who had arrested and deported an Indonesian human rights activist, Mugiyanto Sipin.
Sipin was arrested when he was due to speak at a grassroots movement seminar - a part of the Bersih 2.0 movement - at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor's Chinese Association Building in Malaysia.
INFID's Executive Director, Sugeng Bahagijo, calls on the Indonesian government to issue an notice of objection over the freedom of associations and speech violations, and the Malaysian government to protect the freedom of speech of civilians. "This is in direct opposition to ASEAN's commitment to advance and respect human rights values," Sugeng said through a press release on Thursday, January 7, 2016.
Sugeng explained that Mugiyanto went to Malaysia to speak at a democracy forum that was held by coordinators of the Bersih 2.0 movement - a coalition of civilians demanding a free and fair election in Malaysia. Mugiyanto was supposed to speak about the Indonesian experience of the democratisation process, along with Maria Chin Abdullah - another human rights activist who is fighting for women's rights in Malaysia - at the forum entitled 'People's Movements Can Bring Change'.
"We condemn the authorities' childish actions of preventing Mugiyanto from speaking at a democratic event, and deporting him instead," said Maria Chin Abdullah through a press release. According to her, this is a move orchestrated by the National Front - which in recent days are often accused of preventing Malaysian civilians from voicing their aspirations. "The government should really be ashamed of their actions."
Mugiyanto was arrested by Malaysia authorities on 12.00 Kuala Lumpur time - just moments after landing at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on a Garuda Indonesia flight GA 820. A Bersih 2.0 administration, Mandeep Singh, managed to contact Mugiyanto, who explained that he is being placed under arrest and is due to be deported.
Mugiyanto has since arrived in Jakarta, following his deportation by Malaysian immigration authorities.
ABDUL AZIS
