Sex blogger wants to apply for asylum in US

Filepic of Sex blogger Alvin Tan.

PETALING JAYA: Sex blogger Alvin Tan who jumped bail is applying for asylum status in the United States reported Channel News Asia. 

Tan, 26, who claims to be in California, United States resurfaced on Facebook recently with a nude profile picture, although his privates are blocked off by a heart-shaped cartoon.    

“I'm busy starting a new life here (in the US), apart from awaiting my final asylum hearing. I'm here to seek political refuge from the tyranny of UMNO - simple as that,” he told Channel News Asia in an interview on Facebook.

Tan, 26, and his co-blogger Lee, 25, claimed trial last year to three charges under the Film Censorship Act, Sedition Act and the Penal Code.

The two – famously known as the Alivivi pair – still face two charges under the Film Censorship Act and Sedition Act for a “Ramadan greeting” that was posted on their blog last year.

The posting contained the words Selamat Berbuka Puasa (dengan bak kut teh... wangi, enak, menyelerakan) and was placed over their pornographic images.

Tan said that he is confident of getting asylum status in the United States.

"The Department of State produced a Human Rights Report on Malaysia in 2013 which explicitly cites my case as a repression of internet speech rights," he told Channel News Asia.

"If all else fails, I can easily publish more 'seditious' materials on my Facebook to taunt the authorities and get them to be hot on the pursuit of me again, therefore creating an even more well-founded fear of political persecution to bolster my asylum claim,” he added.

Sessions Court judge Abdul Rashid Daud granted an application on May 12 this year by the pair to have their passports released so that they could shoot a documentary in Singapore.

The judge granted them the period between May 18 and June 3.

The court has since issued a warrant of arrest for Tan after he forfeited the RM20,000 bail that was imposed on him after he failed to return his passport.

Tan has yet to respond to the Star Online's attempts to contact him.