A holidaymaker claims he is stranded in Malaysia after a bizarre dispute over an unpaid parking fee.
Ahmed Hadi, 47, claims his passport was confiscated by the courts after leaving his vehicle in a Penang car park for a brief 10 minutes on December 7 during a family visit. On leaving, he says he tried to pay the fee of around £1.27 but the machine would not accept either of his cards.
Despite pressing the assistance button and conversing with parking officials for an additional 10 minutes, no solution was offered. The Mirror reports that he resorted to lifting the plastic barrier to depart the car park, damaging it in the process. His actions led to an arrest and subsequent court appearance, during which his lawyer brokered an agreement with the parking company.
Eight weeks on, his passport remains in the court’s possession – leaving him in a state of limbo. Having initially planned to relocate to Malaysia with his wife Lucy and their two daughters, Ahmed has since reconsidered.
Expressing frustration, Ahmed stated: “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 went on to condemn Malaysia, describing it as “a hellhole with no human rights”. “The conditions were awful in the cells — 50 people sharing one toilet. One of the police threatened to beat me up,” he added.
Ahmed and his family, who left the UK last August for a life abroad, then found themselves entangled with local authorities over what seemed like a minor mishap. Reflecting on their experiences, Ahmed shared: “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 ordeal began when they parked their car hoping to dine out, only to settle for coffee as their chosen restaurant was shut. Ahmed recounted lifting the parking barrier, which unexpectedly bent as if it were paper. He explained: “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 later received a call from the police, leading to a two-hour interrogation at the station and subsequent arrest for damaging the barrier. Following a court appearance, where the police requested more time for investigation, his wife Lucy contacted the British consulate and secured a lawyer.
Lucy had to pay nearly $3,000 (£2,425.41) for bail sponsors and legal fees to release Ahmed, whose passport was seized by the court. After settling $220 (£177.86) in repair costs with the parking lot owner in January, the couple hoped for closure. However, Ahmed must return to court on February 17, the reasons for which remain unclear to him. Disheartened by the experience, he concluded: “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 painted a bleak picture of the country, adding: “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.”
The British Embassy in Malaysia has been approached for comment.
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