Indonesia allows Sam Rainsy to arrive from Malaysia, as Hun Sen releases Cambodian dissidents

Sam Rainsy, the self-exiled leader of a banned Cambodian opposition party, arrived in Jakarta from Kuala Lumpur on Thursday after reportedly being blocked from boarding his flight on Wednesday.

Rainsy, who is wanted by Cambodian authorities for allegedly plotting a coup, has pledged to return to his native country to lead a peaceful “popular uprising” against Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government. His Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was dissolved ahead of elections last year, paving the way for the ruling party to win all the seats in parliament.

After arriving in Jakarta, Rainsy told reporters he would be in the Indonesian capital for a few days and plans to meet parliamentarians.

He had on Wednesday planned to board a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta but was reportedly prevented due to instructions the airline claimed were issued by Indonesian authorities. However, the airline later confirmed the co-founder and acting president of the CNRP had been allowed to board and Indonesian authorities denied reports Rainsy had been barred entry into the country.

“There has been no order to bar entry for the person. Sam Rainsy is not in Indonesian territory,” Indonesian immigration spokesman Sam Fernando said.

Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said someone “who has legal travel documents for a holiday, wants to benefit from Indonesia’s visa exemption regime for tourists and doesn’t misuse it for political activities in Indonesia cannot be barred from entering Indonesia for a holiday”.

Rainsy, 70, who is based in Paris, had planned to return to his country for Saturday’s national independence day by crossing the border from Thailand but he was prevented from boarding a Thai Airways flight from the French capital to Bangkok on the Thai prime minister’s orders.