In a statement, Razali Idris said that Samsuri, who had never been linked to abuse of power, graft or any criminal activity, should not have been subjected to a “pull aside and hold” procedure when entering and leaving Sabah.

“Is this how you treat reputable leaders?”

Earlier today, Samsuri confirmed that he was held back by authorities at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport during a recent trip to Sabah.

Referring to a viral photo, which he claimed was taken by a member of the public, he said the incident happened upon his arrival on April 6 and departure the next day.

According to Samsuri, he was subjected to a “pull aside and hold” procedure on both occasions before being allowed to continue his journey. He also claimed this process required clearance by the Special Branch.

Razali went on to claim that there was nothing routine about the experience endured by Samsuri.

“It is a manifestation of a TCO that is both selective and politically motivated,” he said, referring to the travel control order.

On Thursday, Samsuri, who is the PAS vice-president, claimed he had been marked as a person of risk in the nation’s border control system and even had his phone tapped.

However, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim downplayed the issue and said it was not unusual for VIPs to be flagged, adding that he himself was subject to such monitoring.

Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also dismissed Samsuri’s complaints, saying there was no need to spy on the menteri besar as he had a security detail assigned to him.

Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain also clarified that there was no basis to include Samsuri in the special surveillance list, as he is not a criminal.