KUCHING, Nov 7 2026: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan has called upon the Sarawak government to consider using the state's immigration autonomy to restrict or to ban the involvement of politicians, ministers, members of parliament (MPs) and state legislative members (SLMs) from Malaya to come and campaign for their political parties during Sarawak state elections.
He claimed the Sarawak government may be seen weak in enforcing immigration autonomy or will send a signal to Sarawakians that Sarawak has lost her autonomy over immigration matters if those politicians can enter Sarawak to campaign in this 13th Sarawak elections
"Sarawak elections are for Sarawakians to choose the government that will govern Sarawak. The issues are locals, such as land, cost of living, jobs, water, electricity, roads, internet, education, healthcare and the protection of Sarawak’s rights and resources," he said when supporting PBB information chief Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah's suggestion that political leaders from Malaya need not to come to Sarawak to support Malayan-based parties in the Sarawak election.
Voon said PBK's call is related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the Malaysia Plan that do not expressly provide that political parties from Malaya to be entitled to enter Sabah and Sarawak to contest state elections or campaign here.
"The people of Sarawak were not asked to surrender their right to choose their own state government to political parties based in Malaya.
"Sarawak has autonomy over immigration," he said, pointing out that the government has the authority to control entry into the state, including imposing conditions, restrictions or requirements on visitors where necessary in the interest of public order, security and the welfare of Sarawakians," he said.
He said his party believes Sarawak should use this autonomy carefully, lawfully and transparently to prevent outside political interference from overwhelming or distorting the choice of Sarawak voters.
He said if the Sarawak government fails to act, it may be seen as weak in defending Sarawak’s autonomy and the democratic rights of its people.
He also calls on all political parties to respect the democratic right of Sarawakians to decide their own state government, saying that campaigning in Sarawak should focus on Sarawak’s needs and Sarawak’s future, not on federal political interests or agendas from outside the State.
"Sarawakians must be allowed to choose their leaders freely, without pressure, intimidation or excessive interference from political forces outside Sarawak.
"Sarawak’s election must remain in the hands of Sarawakians," he stressed.
No comments:
Post a Comment