07 Dec 2006Heidi Foo and Nurfarizan Nik Ibrahim
News Straits Times (Malaysia)
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Cambodian police chief Heng Peo, who is fighting his deportation by the Immigration Department, has been granted a visa by Finland.
His lawyers received a letter of confirmation from the ambassador of Finland to Malaysia, Lauri Korpinen, yesterday morning.
N. Sivananthan and Abdul Shukor Ahmad submitted the letter to High Court judge Datuk Abdul Kadir Musa when Heng Peo’s habeas corpus application was heard yesterday.
The judge fixed Dec 13 for the next hearing.
Speaking at a Press conference yesterday, Sivananthan said he and the Finnish embassy would write to Wisma Putra seeking their intervention to allow Heng Peo, 51, to travel to Helsinki.
"The Finland government conducted an independent investigation here for my client’s application and the visa was issued without even meeting him.
"The stay of deportation here has made the approval of the visa possible. In view of this, I hope the authorities will release him as soon as possible," he said.
Since Heng Peo’s arrest on Oct 3 for overstaying here, his wife, Ngin Sotheavy, 38, had on his behalf sought asylum in many countries.
Sivananthan said he would arrange a meeting for Heng Peo and his wife who has not met him since his arrest.
Sotheavy, who was also present at the Press conference with daughter Peo Vanny, 23, broke down several times.
"He will be murdered if he is sent back to Cambodia. Even now we are living in fear," said the director of International Fine Foods Co Ltd in Siem Reap.
She and her husband came to Malaysia on July 23 to purchase parts for Heng Peo’s prosthetic leg and before returning to Cambodia, the couple went to Singapore to see their children.
"While in Singapore, I learnt that my husband was wanted in Cambodia so I returned alone. The next day, policemen came to our house and took away everything.
"They have threatened to arrest me on many occasions. I have lost everything and my accounts have been frozen," she claimed.
Heng Peo fled Cambodia after a Phnom Penh court started proceedings against him and several others for the murder of a judge and other crimes.
On Oct 5, he filed an application at the High Court to stop the Malaysian authorities from deporting him to Cambodia.
His lawyers received a letter of confirmation from the ambassador of Finland to Malaysia, Lauri Korpinen, yesterday morning.
N. Sivananthan and Abdul Shukor Ahmad submitted the letter to High Court judge Datuk Abdul Kadir Musa when Heng Peo’s habeas corpus application was heard yesterday.
The judge fixed Dec 13 for the next hearing.
Speaking at a Press conference yesterday, Sivananthan said he and the Finnish embassy would write to Wisma Putra seeking their intervention to allow Heng Peo, 51, to travel to Helsinki.
"The Finland government conducted an independent investigation here for my client’s application and the visa was issued without even meeting him.
"The stay of deportation here has made the approval of the visa possible. In view of this, I hope the authorities will release him as soon as possible," he said.
Since Heng Peo’s arrest on Oct 3 for overstaying here, his wife, Ngin Sotheavy, 38, had on his behalf sought asylum in many countries.
Sivananthan said he would arrange a meeting for Heng Peo and his wife who has not met him since his arrest.
Sotheavy, who was also present at the Press conference with daughter Peo Vanny, 23, broke down several times.
"He will be murdered if he is sent back to Cambodia. Even now we are living in fear," said the director of International Fine Foods Co Ltd in Siem Reap.
She and her husband came to Malaysia on July 23 to purchase parts for Heng Peo’s prosthetic leg and before returning to Cambodia, the couple went to Singapore to see their children.
"While in Singapore, I learnt that my husband was wanted in Cambodia so I returned alone. The next day, policemen came to our house and took away everything.
"They have threatened to arrest me on many occasions. I have lost everything and my accounts have been frozen," she claimed.
Heng Peo fled Cambodia after a Phnom Penh court started proceedings against him and several others for the murder of a judge and other crimes.
On Oct 5, he filed an application at the High Court to stop the Malaysian authorities from deporting him to Cambodia.
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