Two lawyers representing Bangladeshi expatriate Md Rayhan Kabir, who was arrested in Malaysia after appearing on an Al Jazeera documentary, said on Wednesday that Rayhan has expressed his willingness to go back to Bangladesh, Malaysian media reported.
C Selvaraja and Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna said they have met with Rayhan earlier Wednesday after being granted permission by the country’s immigration department, Malay Mail reported.
“He had no intention to accuse the authorities. That was just what he felt when he saw an operation that took place,” Selvaraja was quoted by Malaysiakini, referring to Rayhan.
“He is keen to go back whenever the authorities decide to send him back. He wants to go back to be with his family.”
The lawyers said Rayhan had “apologized” for his statement in the interview with Al Jazeera, which was made since he was emotional after seeing his friends detained in raids against undocumented migrants in May.
“He did not mean to accuse the enforcement authorities...the police have already recorded his statement in regards to this," Selvaraja was quoted saying.
Selvarajaa added that Rayhan said “he has been treated well” by the authorities throughout his time in detention.
The lawyer said they will be writing officially to the immigration department about their next course of action and to ask when Rayhan will be deported.
Rayhan was featured in the Al Jazeera documentary “Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown” that alleged the mistreatment of migrants by Malaysian authorities during the movement control order.
The documentary tackled the Malaysian government’s “military-style” raids on migrant communities under the pretext of coronavirus management.
The raids have seen migrants - including children and the elderly - rounded up and “handcuffed and chained together” for hours under the hot sun while they waited for their documents to be verified.
This included their experiences during a raid by authorities on Jalan Masjid India – a popular shopping streets in downtown Kuala Lumpur — on May 1, which led to the arrest of several undocumented foreigners, which the Qatar-based news agency described as “racist and inhumane.”
The documentary raises allegations of mistreatment and persecution of foreigners at the height of Malaysia’s battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the same time, there are concerns that harsh punishments towards the media would limit press freedoms and cover-up wrongdoings by the authorities.
Soon after the documentary made its way online, Malaysian government shifted their focus to Rayhan, who was seen criticizing the Malaysian government.
Rayhan told the news channel that he was forbidden from seeing his friends who were detained.
In the documentary, Rayhan showed footages on his phone of other migrants being herded down the street by government officials. He also shared how some migrant workers were arrested when their companies failed to renew their visas, calling the government measures a “clear act of racism.”
Rayhan’s work permit has since been revoked and Malaysian immigration department said on Tuesday that he will be deported and blacklisted from entering Malaysia forever.
Rayhan was arrested by immigration officers last Friday in Setapak following a two-week manhunt.
Police are also investigating Al Jazeera for sedition among several other Malaysian laws.