Sam Rainsy, former leader of the Cambodian National Rescue Party, was not allowed to board a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta today.

"Malaysia Airlines refused to allow Sam Rainsy passengers to board the plane at the request of Indonesian authorities," the airline today announced.

However, when asked about Malaysia Airlines' statement, Indonesian Migration Department spokesman Sam Fernando said they had not yet received a request to refuse Rainsy. Denny Abdi, head of Southeast Asia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said "we didn't know he was going to Jakarta".

Sam Rainsy is the co-founder of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). The party was dissolved in 2017 for colluding with foreigners to overthrow the government.

The opposition leader has been a French citizen and has been living in exile in France since 2015. He promised supporters that he would return to Cambodia on the occasion of National Day November 9. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen described it as a "coup plot" and Rainsy will be arrested as soon as he returns home.

Rainsy was blocked on Thai Airways flight from Paris to Bangkok on November 7. He then flew to Malaysia, announcing that he could not return home on November 9 as planned.