KUCHING: The state government does not simply bar political leaders from entering the state because of political affiliation.
However, those the state felt as undesirable and had the tendency to create disharmony among the races would be barred, said a PBB supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The Assistant Minister of Youth Development added that the state need not provide any reason to invoke its immigration power under the 18-point agreement signed when Malaysia was formed.
“Preserving racial harmony is not easy. We do not want this harmony that we have built up for umpteen years be destroyed by personalities from Peninsular Malaysia who will just leave us in disarray after they have created havoc,” Abdul Karim who is also Asajaya assemblyman told The Borneo Post when contacted on Tuesday.
He was commenting on three PKR MPs namely vice-president Chua Tian Chang or better known as Tian Chua, strategic director Rafizi Ramli and secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who were barred from entering the state that day.
They were asked to return to Kuala Lumpur while travel companion and Pakatan Rakyat’s de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was granted permission to enter the state.
Both Tian Chua and Rafizi tweeted about the incident. Tian Chua who is Batu MP tweeted: “Flight with @AnwarIbrahim and @rafiziramli to Sibu; Rafizi & I were told (we were) not allowed to enter Sarawak.”
Pandan MP Rafizi, in his tweet, mentioned that they were detained at Sibu immigration office pending deportation. These MPs had come to campaign for PKR candidate Abdul Jalil Bujang in the Balingian by-election that will be held on Saturday.
Meanwhile, a state Immigration Department spokesperson, when contacted, said notice of refusal of entry was served accordingly by the state Immigration Department officers to the three PKR leaders at the entry point.
“The refusal to grant entry to the three PKR leaders was done in accordance with the Immigration Act and the process of refusing to grant them entry was also done according to the law.”
He mentioned that the three leaders abided by the order and flew back home. No untoward incident was reported.
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