Eight of the ‘Budgie Nine’ touch down at airports across Australia

THEY were facing up to two years in jail for indecent exposure. But after just four nights in a Malaysian jail, eight of the disgraced “Budgie Nine” are home.

EIGHT of the disgraced Australians dubbed the Bugdie Nine are back on home soil after a stunt at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Malaysia landed them behind bars with the possibility of a two-year jail sentence.

Branden Stobbs, Edward Leaney, Nicolas Kelly, Thomas Laslett, Thomas Whitworth, James Paver, Adam Pasfield and Timonthy Yates headed from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore overnight before catching connecting flights to Australia today. They arrived in Sydney and Canberra just before noon and asked for privacy.

“We would like to take this opportunity to ask you to please be respectful of our families’ privacy at this time,” Mr Kelly, told reporters at Sydney’s international airport on Friday.

“We would like to thank our family for all they’ve done for us over the last couple of days.

“We would like to urge all Australians travelling overseas in the future to be very aware of the cultural differences and sensitivities that exist in other nations.”

Jack Walker, staffer to Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne, remained in Kuala Lumpur with his father, John Walker.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will talk to Mr Pyne when he returns from overseas about Mr Walker’s future as a ministerial adviser.

“He needs to have a very hard look at himself and I’m sure will be considering his future carefully,” Mr Turnbull said.

Eight of the Budgie Nine have returned to Australia from Maylasia. L-R: Timothy Yates, Tom Laslett, Nick Kelly and Edward Leany address media at Sydney International Airport.

Members of the Budgie Nine arrive at Sydney International Airport. Picture: Mark Evans

James Paver, one of the Budgie Nine', touched down in Canberra this morning. Picture: Gary Ramage

The Prime Minister said the Malaysian authorities were “very lenient” in releasing the group with a warning. He said it was appropriate for the men to apologise in court on Thursday, describing them as “very repentant”.

The racing fans donned tight-fitting swim briefs — known in Australia as “budgie smugglers” — emblazoned with the Malaysian national flag and quaffed beer from their shoes to mark Australian Daniel Ricciardo’s race win on Sunday.

They were arrested for “intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace” and public indecency at the event in Sepang, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

After four nights in jail they pleaded guilty to being a public nuisance at the Sepang Magistrates Court on Thursday before they were cautioned and set free without conviction.

Three of the nine Australian men arrested over indecent exposure arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia on Thursday. Picture: AAP/Lauren Farrow.

A group of nine Australian men celebrate at the conclusion of the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia. Picture: AP

THE ‘BUDGIE NINE’S’ PUBLIC APOLOGY

While the men, all aged in their 20s, have yet to comment publicly, Tom Whitworth, read a one-page public apology on behalf of the group to the court before they were released.

“On behalf of my fellow countrymen, who were arrested and detained by the Malaysian authority … I apologise sincerely for our actions on the 2nd of October, 2016 … which have offended the feeling and sentiments of the people of this beautiful country,” Whitworth said.

“We are remorseful of our actions on that day. We had no idea that our conduct would be deemed to be inappropriate, crass or even downright offensive to the citizens of this country. “Please know that we do not have the slightest of intention to undermine or degrade the dignity of the Jalur Gemilang (flag), this country or her people.

“The incident was purely an error of judgment on our part and was done in a moment of folly and for that we are truly sorry that we have hurt the feelings of Malaysians in general.

“We therefore, without reservation, apologise and express our deepest regret over our conduct of the afternoon of the 2nd of October, 2016.”

The Budgie Nine not long before they were arrested at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia. Picture: AP.

Judge Harith Sham said regardless of their intention, the men had disrespected Malaysia by displaying the country’s national flag on their buttocks and he hoped their arrest and detention would be a reminder about respecting the culture and customs of the places they visit.

Their Malaysian counsel Shafee Abdullah said the men — some of them lifesavers — didn’t “blink an eye” when baring the swimming briefs and were ignorant of how offensive this would be deemed in the conservative Southeast Asian nation. Mr Abdullah told the court that on Australia Day people were “encouraged” to sport bikinis and swimmers with the national flag.

“They have spent four nights in a ‘not very friendly lockup’,” he added. “I think they would have learned their lesson more than enough.” Mr Abdullah said conservative Malaysians were “a bit upset” by the stunt. “I think we have taken care of that with an unconditional apology,” he said outside court.

— With wires