KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 – Malaysian citizens who commit offences under the country’s law while abroad cannot run away or be free from the law forever.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin (photo) said this was because they would still have to return home or go to the Malaysian embassy in their respective host country to renew their passports.
“Malaysian citizens who commit an offence under the country’s laws cannot run away forever, unless they want to drop their Malaysian citizenship,” he said in response to a question from Senator Datuk Lim Nget Yoon in the Dewan Negara sitting today.
On an incident where a group of Malaysian students in Taiwan were photographed with an upside-down Jalur Gemilang last May, Hamzah said by virtue of the Taiwan government not taking any action against them, it indicated that the demonstration carried out by the student was in compliance with the law in Taiwan.
“Malaysia can only take action if participants of the demonstration had uttered words involving the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or done something which we regard as treason or offences which can result in them being stripped of their citizenship,” he added.
– BERNAMA
