Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Waythamoorthy has returned to Malaysia, allaying fears that he would be arrested by the Johor immigration department.

There was a moment of suspense about noon for about 20 supporters when the immigration personnel took away his passport briefly.

“They (the immigration) said I was on the police wanted list,” said Waythamoorthy in a brief telephone conversation with Malaysiakini.

He was invited to the discussion with immigration officials in an office but refused to participate.

After a short discussion with immigration front desk personnel, the passport was returned and he was allowed free passage.

Several supporters who were travelling with Waythamoorthy from Singapore went through the same ordeal.

“We are happy and bit shocked. We thought he would be arrested,” said Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingam when contacted.

The entourage were greeted by a convoy of six cars. They were then taken to a temple in Johor Bahru for a meeting.

Waythamoorthy is scheduled to address supporters there at 5pm today, and to return to his home in Seremban tonight.

Waythamoorthy left the country soon after the Hindraf rally in November 2007 to take the movement’s campaign global. His passport was revoked on April 2008.
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Additional reporting by citizen journalist Shanmugam Govindasamy.