Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, DAP’s Bandar Kuching MP, told FMT that Pakatan Harapan (PH) has always acknowledged and respected the special autonomy given to Sabah and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“However, we have seen many instances of how the state government abused this autonomy by banning those from the opposition and civil societies from entering the state even though they were not a threat and had travelled to Sarawak for legitimate political activities, which was within their rights.
“I hope the chief minister reveals the identity of the deputy minister, details of the conversation that took place, and state whether it was a joke or formal suggestion. Prove that these allegations are true.
“He should not simply use an unnamed person to give the impression that PH wants to take away our rights,” the PH backbencher said.
Yii said even if the allegation was true, it was not PH’s stand on the issue.
Yesterday, Abang Johari was quoted as saying that he had recently shot down the proposal for Sarawak to give up its autonomy on immigration matters.
“There was this deputy minister who approached me and suggested that we abolish our immigration rights. The person said to me, ‘It’s about time for us (Sarawak) not to have immigration control’.
“I said no,” Abang Johari was quoted by Bernama as saying.
He said the state would defend its powers on immigration matters.
Dayak Daily had later reported Abang Johari as saying the deputy minister paid a courtesy call on him recently while in Kuching and brought up the issue of a PH leader who was barred from entering Sarawak.
Both Sarawak and Sabah are granted autonomous immigration powers under Section 66 of the Immigration Act.
In August this year, Amanah Youth vice-chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin was banned from entering Sarawak.
Recently, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) had expressed concern over Sarawak’s travel ban on its commissioner Jerald Joseph.
Among the reasons given by the state government in preventing certain individuals from entering Sarawak is that they might undermine the harmony in the state.
Jerald, for example, had spoken out on the construction of the controversial Bakun dam in Sarawak, the country’s biggest hydro-electric project.
Prior to the May 9 polls, Sarawak had banned politicians, including PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar and Rafizi Ramli as well as DAP’s Teresa Kok and Tony Pua, from entering the state.
Former Bersih 2.0 chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan and Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali were also barred.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraidah Kamaruddin were among those who have been removed from the blacklist after PH’s victory.