LAUGHING STOCK: Zahid cites NATIONAL SECURITY for Joshua Wong's deportation but can an 18-yr-old democracy protester endanger Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today that visitors who are deported from Malaysia are usually sent back on grounds of national security, after Hong Kong’s umbrella revolution student leader Joshua Wong was barred from entering the country.

The home minister said he will need to check with the Immigration Department, which falls under his ministry, on why Wong was deported, but stressed that Putrajaya does not deport foreigners on the basis of having different political ideology.

“There are a few SOP (standard operating procedures) we have to look into, mainly national security, of course,” Zahid said when met in the Parliament lobby.

“We have to check on a case to case basis,” he added, when asked about Putrajaya’s stance on foreign activists visiting Malaysia.

The home minister said all visitors are welcome to Malaysia, but warned that “stern action” would be taken on anyone who brings “the element of negativity”.

Earlier today, Wong — who was scheduled to speak in a series of talks across the country — was deported shortly after landing at the Penang International Airport.

Richard Chin, a member of the committee organising the talks, said Wong was only told by the authorities that the government had ordered for his deportation before putting him on the next flight back to Hong Kong.

Wong was the face of the “yellow umbrella” revolution in Hong Kong which occupied some of the city’s busiest streets for 79 days last year as a means of civil disobedience, calling for electoral reforms. - Malay Mail