KUCHING: The Sarawak government cannot deny entry of Chinese women based on complaints from unhappy wives, Minister with Special Functions Tan Sri Adenan Satem said today.
He said the Immigration Department could only take action unless the foreign women said to have created social problems, had infringed the entry conditions or were convicted for offences.
“Yes, I agree that there are complaints, especially from unhappy wives that they come here on pretext of being students using student or social passes,” he told the state legislative aseembly at Petra Jaya here.
Adenan was replying to Chiew Chiu Sing (DAP-Kidurong) who raised the issue of security breach following concerns expressed by parents about the presence of these women in the male dormitaries of private universities in Sibu.
At present, holders of People’s Republic of China passports are granted social passes with maxmium 30 days upon entry into Sarawak provided they possess valid visas to enter the country.
He said up to April, Sarawak recorded 11,390 visitors from China compared to 34,388 last year, 38,477 (2009), 37,340 (2008), 24,908 (2007) and 19,310 (2006).
For the past five years a total of 117 Chinese women were arrested while 115 of them were prosecuted for various offences committed under Immigration Act 1959/63 and Immigration Regulations 1963.
The department had also conducted continuous operation and inspection on company’s premises as part of its monitoring system to ensure the passes granted were complied with.
Meanwhile, Tourism and Heritage Assistant Minister Datuk Talip Zilpilip said time constrain and not political consideration was the reason for cancellation of this year’s Borneo Cultural Festival (BCF).
The annual event costing about RM800,00 were organised with sponsorship from state and federal governments, corporate bodies and individuals.
“Everyone wants to have a good show but it coincided with the state elections…That was the precise reason,” he said when replying to Wong Ho Leng (DAP-Bukit Assek), adding that the decision was made after consultation with the relevant ministries. – Bernama