A British man claims he is stuck in Malaysia due to an unsettled parking charge.
London-based electrician, Ahmed Hadi, 47, said that his passport was seized by the courts following an episode where he parked his car for a mere 10 minutes in a Penang car park on December 7 while visiting family.
Upon leaving, Ahmed insisted he tried to pay the seven Malaysian ringgit (£1.27) fee, but the payment machine rejected both of his cards. He claimed that despite pressing the help button and engaging with parking officials for another 10 minutes, help was offered.
He then allegedly raised the plastic barrier to exit the car park, unintentionally causing damage. His actions resulted in his arrest and subsequent court hearing, during which his lawyer negotiated a settlement with the parking company.
However, eight weeks after the incident, the court still holds Ahmed’s passport, which was confiscated as part of his bail terms, leaving him in a predicament. Initially intending to move to Malaysia with his wife Lucy and their two daughters, Ahmed has since had second thoughts.
He said: “The whole thing was ridiculous from the start. I was willing to pay, but they couldn’t take the money and wouldn’t let me out. I thought we’d sorted everything out, but I still don’t have my passport or any idea when or if I’ll get it back.”
Ahmed labelled Malaysia “a hellhole with no human rights”. Speaking of his time in detention, he said: “The conditions were awful in the cells – 50 people sharing one toilet. One of the police threatened to beat me up.”
He continued: “We think Britain is broken, but this makes you realise how good we have it. This country is a rip-off, and you’re not free.”
The incident occurred on December 7, before the family was planning to go out for a meal.
Ahmed added: “There was no other way out. It was quite annoying and ridiculous. I was gentle with the barrier, but it just caved in like paper.”
Ahmed’s wife, Lucy, forked out nearly $3,000 (£2,425.41) to get him out of jail, covering both bail sponsors and lawyer’s fees. The judiciary confiscated Ahmed’s passport in the process.
Now, Ahmed must reappear in court on February 17. He said: “We considered living here before this, but there’s no way – it’s inhumane. When I was arrested, nobody read me my rights. I was moved to a different cell every day. Lucy had no idea where I was or what was happening.”
Lucy said: “Ahmed is British but also from Kuwait, so they just kept saying, ‘He’s a rich man.'”
She added: “It’s basically a police state – there’s no freedom of speech. They just arrest you for anything, and they do it to make money.”
