The Federal Court today denied National Human Rights Association (Hakam) president Ambiga Sreenevasan's leave application to challenge her Sabah travel ban.

A three-member bench comprising Justices Ahmad Ma'arop, Abu Samah Nordin and Azahar Mohamed, ruled that the 2002 decision in Sugumar Balakrishnan's case – in which the revocation of the plaintiff’s Sabah entry permit was deemed constitutional – was still a good law.

The apex court further ruled that Ambiga's case did not pass the Section 96 Courts of Judicature Act threshold for the full merits of the case to be heard.

Gurdial Singh Nijar, representing Ambiga, told reporters the decision meant that the Sabah Immigration Department has absolute discretion not to allow...