Falun Gong Information Site in Malaysia Disrupted by Alleged Chinese Police

KUALA LUMPUR — On August 15, a Falun Gong information site at Malaysia’s National Monument (Tugu Negara) was disrupted by a group of Chinese nationals who forcibly seized a practitioner’s standing display. A witness reports the group identified themselves as connected to a “China police station,” raising alarms about cross-border intimidation and violations of Malaysian sovereignty.

At approximately 9:45 a.m., a van carrying seven men and two women arrived at the site. They confronted Ms. Yong, a retired elderly Falun Gong practitioner and the only practitioner present, and forcibly removed banners and a large meditation stand from her display. Outnumbered and powerless against the group, she could do little as they placed the items into their vehicle and drove away.

The local faith community described the act as theft, noting that no legal authorization was presented. The entire incident was captured on video.

She urged the authorities to “bring these individuals to justice” and restore their freedom to meditate and inform the public without harassment or foreign interference. Ms. Yong has lodged a police report, and authorities confirmed that an investigation is underway.

Threat to Malaysian freedoms

This is not the first time Falun Gong practitioners in Malaysia have faced harassment. Earlier this year, seventy-six practitioners were detained ahead of CCP head Xi Jinping’s visit to Kuala Lumpur — an incident also reported by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. These cases point to a troubling pattern: actions once confined to mainland China are increasingly occurring in Malaysia.

According to local practitioners, security concerns are at an all-time high ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s scheduled visit to Malaysia for the ASEAN Summit in October. They fear that the high-level meeting may intensify pressure on Malaysian authorities and the Falun Gong faith community in the lead-up to the visit, increasing the likelihood of further harassment or surveillance.

“This type of behavior is a textbook case of transnational repression,” said Levi Browde, executive director of the Falun Dafa Information Center. “The fact that a group would claim to act on behalf of Chinese authorities while interfering in a public space in Malaysia is deeply concerning. It raises questions not only about the safety of practitioners but also about the integrity of Malaysian sovereignty.”

“What we’re seeing is the CCP exporting its campaign against Falun Gong far beyond China’s borders,” Browde added. “Malaysian citizens should be free to practice their faith without interference from agents claiming to represent a foreign regime.”

Broader global pattern

The Malaysia incident mirrors other recent cases in the region and beyond. Just days earlier, on August 13 in Finland, former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying personally confronted Falun Gong practitioners during a lawful meditation display, demanding names and making statements referencing surveillance.

Closer to Malaysia, in neighboring Taiwan, multiple theaters hosting Shen Yun Performing Arts — a company founded by Falun Gong practitioners — as well as venues screening a documentary on organ harvesting, have been targeted with anonymous bomb threats that disrupted performances. Taiwanese authorities reportedly traced the threats back to sources in China. Further north, in Russia, Falun Gong practitioners have faced detentions and prosecutions that international observers have linked to Beijing’s influence.

“These cases are not isolated,” Browde emphasized. “From Europe to Asia, we see a consistent pattern of the Chinese Communist Party reaching across borders to intimidate and silence Falun Gong practitioners. What happened in Malaysia is part of this same global campaign.”

’Stand firm’ against harassment

Malaysian practitioners are calling on their government to stand firm against foreign harassment, protect freedom of belief, and ensure that citizens and residents can engage in peaceful activities without intimidation.

“Malaysia has a proud tradition of multiculturalism and tolerance,” Browde concluded. “We urge the government to safeguard its sovereignty and make clear that the freedoms of its citizens cannot be compromised by pressure or interference from the Chinese Communist Party.”