Malaysian who did PhD in S’pore banned from re-entry after engaging in political activism here: MHA

“Fadiah is an undesirable visitor, and we have thus denied her entry into our country.”

In her social media posts, Ms Fadiah said she had asked immigration officers why she was banned, but was told that they could not disclose the reasons.

She posted a photo of a notice of refusal of entry dated March 22 which stated that she was not allowed to enter into Singapore as she is “ineligible for the issue of a pass under current immigration policies”. The notice cited the place of issue as Woodlands.

Ms Fadiah said she had attempted to make the recent trip to Singapore as her former supervisor had invited her to deliver a guest lecture. She also planned to take care of her friend’s cat and collect her degree certificate and books.

Ms Fadiah said she had lived in Singapore for five years and was conferred a doctoral degree on Jan 31, adding that she had left legal practice to pursue a PhD at the National University of Singapore.

According to the university’s website, Ms Fadiah had pursued her doctorate with its Department of Southeast Asian Studies and graduated in 2025.

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority figures from 2025 show that 45,700 foreigners were denied entry into Singapore, up from 33,100 the year before.

They were refused entry after having been assessed to pose immigration threats, and include those who may work illegally or who have the potential to overstay their visits, and individuals who pose security risks to the nation.