Kuching, Sept 15, 2012: Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has expressed its concern that PR leaders from Peninsular Malaysia may be stopped from entering Sarawak to attend tomorrow’s Malaysia Day celebration at Chonglin Park, Tabuan Road.
The fear was expressed following the ban on the entry of 14 PR leaders, without any reason given, from entering Sabah yesterday.
They were to attend the countdown of the Malaysia Day celebration in Kota Kinabalu tonight.
After attending the countdown, they were to fly to Kuching for celebration in Kuching.
“We are extremely concerned that these leaders, who will be flying to Kuching tomorrow, may be denied entry to Sarawak as well.
“We want to inform the public that even if these leaders are banned from Sarawak, our Malaysia Day celebration tomorrow is still on as planned at Chonglin Park, between 3pm and 7pm,” said Sarawak PKR information chief Vernon Kedit to reporters today.
“We are prepared for the worse,” he said.
Sarawak DAP secretary and Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament Chong Chieng Jen said that one of the most biggest ironies in the history of Malaysia is that on the eve of Malaysia Day celebration, “our friends from Peninsular Malaysia were denied entry into Sabah.”
“I surely hope that such idiotic move or action will not be repeated by the Sarawak state government.
“We, from PR, surely uphold the principle of the Malaysian Agreement whereby Sarawak and Sabah have autonomy over immigration, but such autonomy should not be abused to deny political leaders from Peninsular Malaysia from entering the two states.
“The authorities must show evidence that these people have criminal records or past criminal convictions before the authorities can deny them to come.
“If these people do not have records or the tendencies to do criminal acts, then why should they be denied the entry?” he asked.
“If it is purely for political reasons, then the autonomy on immigration is not intended to be used just to consolidate the political power of the Barisan Nasional, and I think that this is surely an abuse of the immigration autonomy,” he said.
Chong said denying people from entering Sarawak or Sabah for legitimate political activities is against the intention of the signatories of the Malaysian Agreement.
“I am quite sure, by doing so, the Barisan will antagonise more people, and I urge the Sarawak government not to repeat the folly of the Sabah government.
“I call upon Sarawakians to come to the Malaysia Day celebration at Chonglin Park tomorrow afternoon,” he said.
Sarawak PKR vice chairman See Chee How said it is important that this celebration must be a success as Sarawak is the host.
He said guests from as far as Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah are most welcome to attend.
“But, of course, we uphold the principle of the immigration autonomy. There are safeguards provided under the Immigration Act for Sarawak and Sabah, but people coming in for legitimate social events or activities should not be stopped.
“I hope that the Sarawak State Security Office will not abuse the immigration powers by denying PR leaders from coming to Sarawak,” he said.
Kedit, meanwhile, said that it is grossly unfair to deny PR leaders who want to come and celebrate Malaysia Day in Kuching, but the Barisan Nasional are allowed to come and celebrate Malaysia Day in Bintulu.
He said that the organising committee has some plan ready in case the PR leaders, including PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and Pas president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang are not allowed to enter Sarawak to attend the Malaysia Day celebration.
“Regardless of what happen, the celebration will still be on,” he said.
Kedit said a special area will be allocated for the bloggers and another area for the media.
Chong said the unveiling of the Kuching Declaration will still take place and that “other ways” will be available for the three top leaders of PR to sign the declaration before releasing it to the public and through social media and the Internet.
“The signing could be done electronically,” he said.
The declaration will be made available in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Iban.
He said Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, having over 30 years experience in politics, will not be so silly as Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman to deny PR leaders from entering Sarawak.
Asked whether the Sarawak and Sabah Barisan Nasional leaders are scared of the PR leaders, Chong said that is an understatement.
“If the Barisan is not scared of PR forming the next federal government, the 13th general election would have been held a long time ago. Reading at the sentiments of the Barisan leaders, they are certainly scared,” he added.
“That is why you see a lot of irrational actions by the BN supporters, like promoting political gangsterism and splashing of the PR van and the DAP headquarters with red paint,” he said.
Chong said when the Barisan was strong, there was nobody to splash red paint or any underhand tactics against PR.
“Then suddenly, we have these political underhand tactics happening. Why? Because we have become strong and the Barisan leaders are scared of us,” he said. By Sematong Express
