I strongly condemn both the banning of DAP MP Teo Nie Ching as well as Ooi Leng Hang, a DAP member, from entering Sarawak, on top of the bad handling of the issue by the Immigration Department of Sarawak.

This has been a common trend by the current BN state government which is clearly abusing our state’s immigration rights by barring opposition politicians from parties that have made in-roads among the people in Sarawak.

I am puzzled how Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem, who on multiple occasions pledged to only use this immigration powers to keep extremist out of Sarawak, somehow abused it to bar opposition leaders, activists and even a graphic-designer who are of no threat to the security of the state.

Adenan instead has allowed in PAS leader Abdul Hadi Awang who have frequently played religious and racial sentiments into the state which raise the possibility that he is only barring opposition parties that made in-roads into Sarawak, as PAS is considered of no threat in the upcoming state elections.

That’s a clear insults to the principles of democracy and show how Adenan is afraid to play fair and allow the people of Sarawak the right of access to information.

DAP honours the autonomy the state have over immigration controls through the Inter-governmental committee report and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 but Adenan is clearly abusing and breaching the very law he claims to protect.

Under Section 67 of the Immigration Act; a person cannot be denied entry if his visit is “for the sole purpose of engaging in legitimate political activity”.

He has no right to abuse the law against opposition members who are in the state to engage in “legitimate political activity”.

Even if he disagrees with their ideas, he should just fight those ideas with his own and allow the Sarawak people to make their own informed decision rather than barring them from the state.

I also condemn the handling of the issue especially by the Immigration Department in Kuching Airport.

I was called alongside Padungan state assemblyperson Wong King Wei to assist in the issue. However we were made to wait more than two hours even after requesting a discussion with the person-in charge, who never showed up even for a proper discussion.

They even refused to reveal details of the person-in-charge which is supposedly information available to the public.

We are elected representative by the people and it is our duty to uphold the rights of all Malaysians, and such act is clearly hindering us from carrying out our duties.

It is a clear act of suppression of the right of the people as well as an abuse of power all the way from the Chief Minister's Office.

I demand an official apology from the Immigration Department for their handling of the case as well as a no-show by the person in charge to have a proper a discussion with two elected representative. Furthermore the airport is within my constituency.

We respect the state’s autonomy on immigration, but we condemn any abuse of it and also the irresponsible handling of the whole issue.

If our Immigration Department is so negligent is handling such issues, how will it instil public confidence in handling situations when there is a serious threat to our state.

JULIAN TAN KOK PING is the MP for Stampin.