Sabah Government’s ban on me from entering Sabah is a clear abuse of the state immigration powers.
Although it has the power to excise banning people from entry into Sabah, this cannot be an absolute power where it can be used without any valid grounds.
As I was already banned from entry into Sarawak since last year, yesterday’s ban by Sabah government means that I cannot now travel to the two eastern states which are parts of my own country.
Till today, I was never told why I was banned from Sarawak. When I was denied entry into Sabah upon arrival at Sandakan airport from KLIA2 yesterday, I was also not told the reason why I was banned.
Under the Malaysia agreement, both Sabah and Sarawak were given the autonomy over immigration power, but the original intention for the relevant provision was for economic protection of the two states, that is, to prevent the influx of economic migrants who will threaten the locals’ jobs.
It was never the intention for the two state governments to use it as a political tool to deny entry of oppositionists or civil society activists who want to conduct legitimate and lawful activities in the states.
Records show that oppositionists and civil society activists have been the main targets. It is thus clear that the two BN controlled governments have used the immigration power as a political tool to suppress and oppress the opposition.
I am a member of the Malaysian Parliament who holds a Malaysian passport that allows me to travel all over the world, yet it is so ridiculous that I am not allowed entry into the two states which are parts of my own country.
I do not pose an economic threat to Sabahans or Sarawakians, and I am certainly not a security threat to the two states or the nation.
I challenge both Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers, Datuk Seri Musa Aman and Tan Sri Adenan Satem, to have the courage to fight the opposition fair and square at the polls, and not to resort to such unethical tactic of imposing entry ban.
If they think they have done their jobs well and they have the people’s support, there is no need for them to fear the oppositionists and civil society activists.
In fact, if they have any sense of fair play, they will not resort to abusing the immigration power to fight the opposition, irrespective if their political support if threatened or otherwise.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib had once declared that he wanted to make Malaysia the best democracy in the world. He should not keep silence on such abuse of power by the BN controlled state governments.