Hajiji said this includes businessman Albert Tei, who was barred from entering Sabah yesterday before being allowed in for a two-day period.

Tei is standing trial in the special corruption court on two charges of giving RM350,000 in bribes to two assemblymen in relation to mineral prospecting licence applications in Sabah.

“The state government has absolute authority to determine who can enter Sabah or not. However, such actions (barring travellers) are only taken after receiving complete reports from security authorities,” he said in a statement.

Earlier, Tei’s lawyer Mahajoth Singh said his client arrived at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 12.30pm yesterday as he had a case mention today.

Mahajoth claimed that Tei was detained upon arrival and told that he was barred from entering the state.

He was later allowed to enter and stay in Sabah for two days after showing documents proving he had court proceedings to attend, said the lawyer.