Controversial blogger Alvin Tan Jye Yee vowed to never return to Malaysia, despite being freed of a sedition charge.
Tan told The Rakyat Post that he is "having a blast in America" and Malaysia was history to him.
"I won't return even if they roll out a red carpet for me and popped some champagne for me.
"Returning is out of the question, no matter how many charges they drop.
"I am not returning, even until my death. I don’t believe that it will ever be safe to return," the news portal quoted him as saying.
He also said the decision on the dropped charges came too late.
"It is my personal principle never to return to a country where its government and people have done so much irreversible harm to me," he said.
The controversial blogger and his former girlfriend Vivian Lee on Wednesday had been cleared on a charge of causing religious enmity among the people of various faiths by uploading pictures which ridiculed the Muslims during Ramadan on their Facebook.
This followed a decision by a five-member panel of the Federal Court in unanimously dismissing the prosecution's appeal on grounds that the (Federal) court had no jurisdiction to hear the case.
The prosecution was appealing against a Court of Appeal's verdict to throw out the charge against the duo.
Justice Tan Sri Abdull Hamid Embong, who chaired the panel, allowed a preliminary objection raised by the duo's counsel, Chong Joo Tian who argued that the Federal Court did not have the jurisdiction to hear the prosecution's appeal.
Tan and Lee had filed an application at the High Court to drop the charge (of allegedly causing religious enmity) under section 298A (1)(a) of the Penal Code as they claimed that the said section did not apply to non-Muslims and thus could not be enforced on them.
They were alleged to have committed the offence at a restaurant in Dang Wangi on July 11 and 12, 2013.
The couple lost their bid at the High Court, but succeeded in their appeal at the Court of Appeal on April 21, last year, to strike out the charge.
The prosecution subsequently filed the appeal at the Federal Court.
Astro Awani
Fri Feb 20 2015

TAN: Returning is out of the question, no matter how many charges they drop.

What happened in Philippine drug war that led to Duterte's arrest?
Here are some facts about the drug war during Duterte's presidency from 2016 to 2022.

Soccer - Manchester United plans to build 'world's greatest stadium'
Manchester United plans to build a new 100,000-seat stadium next to the existing Old Trafford, the club announces.

Meta begins testing its first in-house AI training chip
Meta is working with Taiwan-based chip manufacturer TSMC to produce the chip, according to sources.

Russia says it wants united and 'friendly' Syria
Russia has two strategically important military bases in Syria, which it is hoping to retain in the wake of Assad's fall.

Musk says juggling DOGE and CEO jobs is difficult, as Tesla shares slump
Elon Musk says he is running his businesses "with great difficulty" while working with the Trump administration.

Philippine ex-leader Duterte long defiant on deadly drug war
Before becoming president, Rodrigo Duterte earned the nicknames "The Punisher" and "Duterte Harry" for his violent anti-drug crackdown.

Ismail Sabri probe: 36 witnesses finish giving statements to MACC, 23 others to be summoned
A MACC source said 23 other witnesses have also been identified and would be summoned to give their statements soon.

Westin Hotels marks World Sleep Day with wellness-focused offerings
With a growing demand for sleep tourism and wellness travel, Westin aims to solidify its position as a leader in holistic hospitality.

Govt wants local experts to help improve national cyber security - PM's press secretary
Tunku Nashrul Abaidah says the government has high confidence in local expertise to face cybersecurity challenges.

Philippines' ex-President Duterte arrested at ICC's request over 'drugs war', government says
Rodrigo Duterte was arrested upon his arrival at a Manila airport and the ex-leader is now in custody, the office of the president said.
![[COLUMNIST] Lighting up lives: How solar power is transforming Orang Asal villages in Sabah [COLUMNIST] Lighting up lives: How solar power is transforming Orang Asal villages in Sabah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2025-03/81741682061_tbOrangAslisolar.jpg)
[COLUMNIST] Lighting up lives: How solar power is transforming Orang Asal villages in Sabah
For years, families in these villages relied on diesel generators, but the high cost of fuel and maintenance meant electricity was a luxury.

Court postpones verdict in Aliff Syukri obscene content case to March 14
Datuk Seri Aliff Syukri Kamarzaman faces four charges of uploading obscene content on his Instagram account in 2022.

Trump says he will buy a 'new Tesla' to show support for Musk
Tesla's market capitalisation has more than halved since hitting an all-time high of $1.5 trillion on December 17.

Tanker hired by US military ablaze off UK after hit by container ship
The ship is carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a toxic chemical used mainly in gold mining, and an unknown quantity of alcohol.

Failure to pay PTPTN loan: UMNO Youth supports proposal to ban borrowers from overseas travel
UMNO Youth chief says the borrowers involved must be responsible in settling their debts with PTPTN for the sake of future generations.

Pope Francis no longer faces immediate danger, responding to treatment, Vatican says
The Vatican says pope's doctors decided to lift an earlier "guarded" prognosis, meaning the pontiff was no longer in immediate danger.

AI Revolution: Will Malaysia’s workforce sink or swim?
AI is no longer a distant concept, it is actively transforming industries, reshaping job markets, and redefining the skills needed.

Dalai Lama says his successor to be born outside China
Beijing insists it will choose his successor, but the Dalai Lama says any successor named by China would not be respected.

US judge says Musk's DOGE must release records on operations run in 'secrecy'
The ruling, the first of its kind, marks an early victory for advocates pushing DOGE to be more transparent about its role in mass firings.

How to Get to Merdeka 118: Your Complete Guide
Heres everything you need to know about getting there efficiently.