Businessman and former Chinese educationist Tan Seng Hin today vowed that he would return to Sarawak where he has lived for 23 years until his deportation early this year.

In January, Tan was deported by the state's immigration officials, who told him that he was banned from re-entering Sarawak until Dec 6.

However, Tan, fearing that he would be deported again on arrival, is seeking a letter of approval from the authorities.

Tan, who spent almost a year in exile in Johor, said he has written letters to the Home Ministry and Sarawak's Immigration Department but have yet to receive any reply.

"Even if they do not allow me to return, I will go back," Tan told malaysiakini today.

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Zainal Abidin Zin, when asked in Parliament earlier this year, has labelled the Chinese educationist a security threat.

Tan, 61, who is married to Sarawakian wife and a father of two, claimed he was deported for criticising the state government's decision to change the medium of instruction from Mandarin to English for two schools in Miri.

Home to vote

He was however allowed to return to Sarawak for three days to vote in the Sept 27 state elections under severely restricted conditions, where he was required to report daily to the state's authorities, stay only at his home in Miri and leave Sarawak the day after the elections.

"I returned to vote and I was allowed to vote. Isn't that an indication that I am a legitimate resident of Sarawak? They are acting unfairly and have violated my rights," said Tan, who hoped to return in the next two weeks.

Tan has threatened legal action if he was not allowed to re-enter the state.

On Nov 28, he sent letters through his lawyer to the state immigration officials and the Home Ministry stating that he would like to return to Sarawak when the one-year ban ends Dec 6.

Earlier attempts to lift the ban has not been successful for Malacca-born Tan who has lived more than two decades in Sarawak on a social pass.

The Sarawak state government holds arbitrary power over residents staying in the state - including Peninsular Malaysians - on social passes and is empowered to deport them without giving any reason.