Activist and former lawyer Haris Ibrahim was due to speak on opposing Malaysian authoritarianism at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific this week, but was denied a visa by the Australian government.
He was also due to speak in Sydney and Melbourne.
ANU Malaysian politics expert Dr Greg Lopez said it was disappointing Haris was prevented from entering the country.
“Haris Ibrahim has been a key actor in Malaysia’s civil society movements opposing the ruling government in Malaysia for the past decade,” he said.
“He has played important roles in social movements which have been influential in mobilising Malaysians against the ruling government, especially at the 2008 and 2013 general elections in Malaysia."
In a web blog Haris posted on Thursday, he said his initial reason for coming to Australia was ‘to attend to a personal matter’ in Sydney on 25 September, but he was later convinced to also give public talks.
Ending speculation over why the Australian government refused him a visa, Haris reiterated an explanation by an Australian consular official in Malaysia which read:
The outstanding criminal charges concerning Mr Ibrahim in Malaysia, combined with his lack of employment in Malaysia, lead me to the finding that Mr Ibrahim does not genuinely intend to stay temporarily in Australia for the purpose of a visit only. In those circumstances, Mr Ibrahim lacks sufficient incentive to depart Australia in accordance with the terms of a subclass 600 visitor visa.
“Australian academics and politicians who know Haris Ibrahim well, know that he has no intention of staying in Australia, beyond his stated objectives,” Lopez said.
The Malaysian government, which is made up of ethnicity-based political parties representing Malay, Chinese, Indian, Sabahan and Sarawakian indigenous interests, won another term after the 5 May 2013 general elections result.
Among the ruling parties, UMNO (the United Malays National Organisation) did best.
"Its policies have in the past, been based on a relatively moderate form of Islam, but in recent times have become increasingly intolerant towards other ethnic groups," Lopez said.
Haris is one of its most vocal opponents, having started the political movement Asalkan Bukan UMNO (Anything but UMNO).
“For Haris, it’s an all-out war within Malaysia’s limited democratic framework against the ruling regime,” Lopez said.
New crime-prevention legislation that reintroduces detention without trial for years was passed by Malaysian law makers on Thursday.
Lopez said the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act legislation and sedition charges against Haris and three others were indicators of the Malaysian government’s hardening stance against dissent.
“But the democracy movement per say, is very vibrant,” he said.
“When the majority of urban and middle class Malaysians, long supportive of the ruling regime, voted against them, I think Malaysians have turned a corner already.”
Share
