Malaysia issues travel advisory to citizens traveling to UK

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Malaysia has issued a travel advisory to its citizens traveling to or residing in the UK amid riots in the country.

“Malaysians residing in or travelling to the United Kingdom are urged to stay away from protest areas, remain vigilant and follow the latest updates and guidance provided by local authorities,” the Malaysian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on late Sunday.

Malaysia is the first nation to issue a travel warning on the UK, since the latter saw the worst wave of riots in 13 years, with far-right demonstrators targeting asylum seekers and ethnic minority communities across the country.

Kuala Lumpur said it was “closely monitoring the series of protests currently taking place in several areas" of the UK.

A storm of anti-Muslim disinformation on social media has fueled Islamophobic and far-right violence in the aftermath of the fatal stabbing attack in the northern English seaside town of Southport on July 29.

False reports spread by extremist far-right social media accounts claimed the suspect was a Muslim and a migrant, which were echoed in the mob’s Islamophobic vitriolic chants.

Police have so far said the suspect is a 17-year-old man who was born in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, and lived in a village near Southport.

The Malaysian Foreign Ministry urged its citizens to register their presence with the Southeast Asian nation’s diplomatic mission in London.