Singapore has expelled a union activist who angered the country's influential senior statesman, Lee Kuan Yew ( photo ), by leading a campaign at Singapore Airlines (SIA) last year to oust union leaders who accepted pay cuts and redundancies.

Last month, the republic's authorities told Captain Ryan Goh, a Malaysian, that he was an 'undesirable immigrant' and would have to leave the island state, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

As he departed from Changi airport on Saturday, Goh said he hoped to remain a pilot - but restrictions on visiting Singapore might cause problems. "Singapore's Changi Airport is an international hub so most of the airlines will fly into Singapore," he told reporters

"And if I do get a job with the international airlines, naturally I will fly into Singapore. And with the prohibition on me it will be difficult to get a job as a crew."

Goh says he will live in Australia. The authorities have allowed one of his four children to remain in Singapore to finish school.

Strikes and labour protests are rare in Singapore. In February, Lee, Singapore's senior minister, intervened in the dispute at Singapore Airlines.

He singled out Goh as the instigator of a revolt by union members, who had voted out union leaders after they accepted pay cuts at the state-owned airline.

The authorities then ordered Goh and his family to leave.