Adenan speaking to reporters at his office yesterday.
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem says it is the autonomous right of Sarawak to ban unsavoury elements from entering the state.
“I expect that from the opposition. It’s the same old story, recycled story. I have to protect the interest of Sarawak from unsavoury elements, political or otherwise. That’s my job as chief minister,” he told a press conference at his office here yesterday.
When asked whether the ban on some politicians was permanent or temporary in nature, Adenan quipped, “You know my answer, there will be no lifting of the ban…but they are at liberty to come to Sarawak after the election, after all, we are promoting tourism”.
The chief minister was responding to a question regarding state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s recent statement in which he urged Adenan to lift the ban on politicians for the upcoming state election describing it as ‘unreasonable and unlawful’ and said the reason from the state government to ban them as ‘not the slightest convincing’.
On the same note, Adenan also regretted PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin’s statement in which she questioned the right of the state’s autonomy on immigration.
“I regret there are people who questioned our autonomous right to ban people from coming in. For example, the Wanita chief of PKR questioned our right and said if they were in power, they would ban the autonomous right of Sarawak. I regret that she is saying that,” said Adenan.
On the reasons why the state government allowed federal leaders to come instead, the chief minister said they came to Sarawak to help the BN and should not be seen as liabilities.
“They are office holders at the federal level. I don’t see them as liabilities. Even Umno members will be banned if they are radicals. This is not just confined to the opposition. I cannot give you the names but we have banned Ibrahim Ali and Ridhuan Tee,” he added.
Adenan’s view was shared by a PBB supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and PRS president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing.
According to Karim, the barring of opposition members from entering the state was not arbitrary in nature.
“There are many members of the opposition from Peninsular Malaysia already ‘campaigning’ in various constituencies in the state.
“Only those whom the state deems as ‘undesirable’ and who come here to create disharmony are barred. Sarawak is a peaceful state where the people of various racial, cultural and religious backgrounds live happily and harmoniously together,” said Karim.
He said the state government could not afford to allow the present peace and harmony among people to be disrupted by selfish and racist bigots who would come with their extreme political views, and would only leave the state after they were done with their divisive acts.
“Building up a harmonious and peaceful society is not an easy task. Breaking it up is easy. I believe it’s better for the state to adopt this ‘preventive’ approach than to let the racial harmony be destroyed by the few undesirable elements; whether they are MPs or assemblymen or even ‘small fries’,” said the BN candidate for Asajaya.
Masing said the ban of unruly politicians and religious bigots from Sarawak, in fact, enabled the local people to have a more level political playing field.
“The gentler Sarawak voters and politicians will have no match for a more aggressive and unruly Malayan politicians,” he said.
The Land Development Minister said it was better to bar the extremists from Sarawak as some of them could be ‘bulldozed’ by uncouth people in the like of DAP.
“We should never allow their brand of politics in where everything goes in the name of winning the battle.
“Thus, we exercise our rights and immigration autonomy as enshrined in Malaysia Agreement 1963. No one, not even local DAP and PKR politicians should question Sarawak’s Immigration rights. In fact, they should support and not question such rights,” said Masing.
Meanwhile, director of the state Immigration Department Ken Leben said the department was just carrying out its duties when barring certain individuals and politicians from entering Sarawak.
Among those who have been banned from entering Sarawak are Abdul Malik Abu Kassim, S Amiga of Bersih, Andrew Khoo, Carol Yong, Clare Newcastle Brown, Colin Nicholas, Cynthia Gabriel, Fahmi Reza, Haris Ibrahim, Mohamad Sabu, Hew Kuan Yow, Jannie Lasimbang, Jerald Joseph, Joo Hann Tan, Kua Kia Soong, Mandeep Singh, Maria Chin Abdullah of Bersih, N Gobala Krishnan, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Ong Boon Keong, Ooi Leng Han, Rafizi Ramli, Ridhuan Tee, Saifduddin Nasution Ismail, Sivarasa Rasiah, Steven Ng, Syamsul Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Teo Nie Ching, Teresa Kok, Tian Chua, Tony Pua, P Waythamoorthy, Wong Chin Huat, Zuraida Kamaruddin, Mogan Shamugan, Sim Tze Tsin, Teh Hoong Keat, Ricky Liew, Ibrahim Ali and Ridhuan Tee Abdullah.