Fahmi wrote on Facebook that he made the discovery on the Immigration Department website, which he had visited to check on his immigration status before a trip to Taiwan next week.

A message on the website instructed him to go to the nearest immigration office, which he did at Pudu UTC.

“The immigration officer asked me for my IC number and then told me that my name was on the blacklist,” said Fahmi, adding that the officer could not tell whether the blacklist meant he was barred from entering certain states in Malaysia or barred from leaving the country.

Fahmi, who was declared persona non grata in Sarawak in 2010, said a phone call to the Putrajaya Immigration office revealed he was no longer barred from entering Sarawak, but he was now not allowed to leave the country.

Fahmi said his name was submitted by the police and the travel ban had been effective since March 31 last year.

“I do not understand why I have been banned from going abroad. I have cooperated with the police every time they called,” said the artist.

He said he had written to the police asking for his name to be removed from the blacklist.

“The flight ticket to Taipei departing on Monday has been purchased and my accommodation booked. It will all burn if I fail (to have my name removed from the blacklist),” said Fahmi.