'If they're of legal age, they've right to travel' - NST

KUALA LUMPUR: "If a wife was leaving the country to get away from her husband, should she get a letter from him before leaving?"

This question was posed by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong to the proposal that all women travelling out of the country alone be required to have a letter from parents or employers.

"I am sure Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim meant well with his proposal, but it is flawed and inappropriate. People have varying reasons for travelling alone."

Chong said in cases where parents asked him for help to stop their daughters from going overseas, he told them it was not right to hold their daughters against their will.

"If they are of legal age, then they have the right to travel as they please."

Chong said 97 Malaysians were serving jail terms in Taiwan for drug-related offences since 2000. "Of the 97, five are women in their 20s. Does this mean that every time a Malaysian man travels abroad alone, he should also produce a letter from his parents or employers?"

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Monday/National/2231709/Article/index_html]