Abang Johari says only federal govt has authority on status of N. Koreans working in Sarawak
Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg
KUCHING: The trade sanction imposed by the United Nations (UN) on North Korea is under the purview of the federal government and the state government does not have the authority to implement it, says Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.
As such only Putrajaya could decide on the status of the 36 North Koreans holding valid visas working in Sarawak, he added.
“I have to wait for the directive from KL because this is about international relations. And international relations is under the purview of the Foreign Affairs Ministry,” Abang Johari told the media after receiving a courtesy call by a Sarawak Timber Association (STA) delegation at his office here yesterday.
He said Sarawak only has the autonomy on immigration from within the country.
“That’s why we cannot follow suit on what the UN had been doing by imposing sanctions on North Korea. But if (Perkasa president Datuk) Ibrahim Ali wants to come in, that’s our authority whether to allow him in or not,” he elaborated.
Abang Johari also stressed that the fate of the 140 North Koreans who were rounded up by the authorities after their work visas expired were also not under the jurisdiction of the state government but under the purview of the police and Immigration Department.
The Chief Minister revealed that Sarawak had been thrust into the international spotlight as it is the only state in the country which has been employing North Koreans in various sectors such as mining and construction.
As the diplomatic row between Malaysia and North Korea escalates following the assassination of Kim Jong-nam at klia2, on Monday Pyongyang barred 11 Malaysians from leaving the country.
North Korea said the Malaysians would be barred from leaving until “the incident that happened in Malaysia is properly solved” and in response, Putrajaya issued an order barring North Koreans from leaving the country.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister disclosed that the 176 North Korean workers were recruited to work in the State before the controversy erupted and that they were employed when relations was good.