By K. Parkaran | Free Malaysia Today
The family of Bangladeshi opposition politician MA Quayum has appealed to the Malaysian government to abide by a stay of deportation order granted by a High Court two weeks ago.
Their worries have heightened following a response from the legal head of the Immigration Department on Jan 29 to a letter from his lawyers at Messrs AmerBON reminding the authorities of the court order issued against his deportation.
The department had cited section 35 of the Immigration Act, notice of cancellation of his visit pass, and other laws as reasons for the deportation but did not address the court order against sending him back.
His daughter, Arnita Tasnim Ankaur, said the Kuala Lumpur High Court had on Jan 18 issued the order against the deportation of her father who had lived here with a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) refugee card with her mother and her since 2015.
“My father’s life is in danger if he goes back to Bangladesh. We know of opposition leaders in Bangladesh who go missing or are poisoned in prisons there.
“My mother and I appeal to the authorities to respect the court order,” she told FMT.
Arnita, 19, said her father, who turns 61 on Friday, has some chronic ailments that need medication and visits to doctors often.
“He is suffering from diabetes, hypertension, and has a bad case of vertigo. We are extremely worried for him. My mum, Shahamin Ara Begum, met him once after his detention on Jan 12 and is extremely worried about his condition,” she said.
She said the three of them had lived in Malaysia for nearly 10 years with UNHCR cards and had led a quiet life without creating any trouble, adding that they were in possession of valid passports.
Arnita said her father was picked up by police on Jan 12 at their apartment after he returned from Friday prayers and taken to the Ampang police headquarters. They were then informed that he was being held at the Semenyih detention centre.
FMT has reached out to the head of the legal division at the Immigration Department, Aida Adhha Abu Bakar, for a response.
