Hindraf chairman Waytha gets his passport

He was issued his travel document by the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore this morning. He will enter Malaysia through Johor on Wednesday.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian High Commission in Singapore has issued a passport to Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy, allowing him to return to Malaysia as a lawful citizen as planned on Aug 1.

He had flown into Singapore late yesterday from London and went to the high commission this morning to apply for his passport.

“I have been given my passport and I will enter Malaysia through Johor on Aug 1. Of course, I am open to the possibility of the authorities arresting me as soon as I enter Malaysia,” he told FMT today.

Earlier, attempts by Malaysian High Commission in London on Friday to issue a valid passport to Waythamoorthy hit a snag when the officials discovered an international alert to prevent the Hindraf supremo from travelling to any part of the world with a Malaysian passport.

Upon checking with their Malaysian counterparts in Putrajaya, the officers then had informed Waythamoorthy that his was a special case needing personal clearance from Malaysian police force chief, the Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar himself.

Waythamoorthy had then flown out of London to Singpore on his UN-issued travel documents before making a fresh application at the Malaysian High Commission in the city-state this morning.

“My UK lawyer Ram Narayanan was with me as well and when me made the application for the passport for me, the officials first wanted to issue a one-way travel document.

“We however insisted on being issued a Malaysian passport for me, which they eventually did. I think the IGP has removed the ban on the manner,” he said.

Waythamoorthy’s passport was revoked by the federal government in March 2008 after he had left the country to London following the crackdown on Hindraf following the November 27, 2007 rally.