(Dec 4): Political activist Hishamuddin Rais has been barred from leaving the country, a fact that he only knew when trying to board a flight to South Korea at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport last night.

According to Hishamuddin, he was detained at the immigration area just before boarding the Malaysia Airlines flight to Seoul.

“I want the government to explain why I have been barred from leaving the country,” he said when contacted by The Malaysian Insider.

Hishamuddin was a former student activist in the 1970, who lived in exile for 25 years.

He said he was due to stay in Seoul for a week on the invitation of People Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) Korea through Forum Asia, to be an observer in a rally that will take place tomorrow in the capital city.

The activist said the three observers invited for the rally, including himself, would also be meeting with the National Police Agency of South Korea and the Human Rights Commission of Korea chairman Lee Sung-ho.

Hishamuddin is the latest personality to be barred from leaving the country in recent months.

DAP's Tony Pua and PKR’s Rafizi Ramli, who have been vociferous in their criticism on state-owned investment arm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), have also been barred by immigration authorities from leaving the country. – The Malaysian Insider