Ali Abdul Jalil, Alvin Tan ordered to surrender passports

The government had ordered political activist Ali Abdul Jalil and controversial blogger Alvin Tan to surrender their passports to the Immigration Department or nearest Malaysian Mission.

The government had decided to revoke the Malaysian international passport issued to Ali, with serial number A32104821 and Tan with serial number A32765005, effective Dec 9, Bernama reported.

Tan is currently in Los Angeles, California while Ali is reportedly in Sweden -- where both are seeking political asylum.

Ali faces three sedition charges for allegedly insulting the Johor royalty and the Sultan of Selangor in his Facebook postings.

Tan faces multiple criminal charges under the Film Censorship Act, Sedition Act and the Penal Code for his controversial online uploads, and seditious social media posting deemed insulting to Islam.

Following Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Mustafa Ibrahim announcement that the passport revocation of the duo will be in effect the moment the department sends a registered letter to the duo informing them that their passports have been revoked, a public outcry that their citizenship should also be revoked, followed suit.

However, Bar Council Constitutional Law Committee Chairperson Firdaus Husni said the Malaysian government can never revoke the citizenship of those born here unless they go against the provisions provided under Article 24 of the Federal Constitution.