Malaysian businessman Tan Seng Hin was deported from Sarawak because he was critical of the government and his presence threatened the state's harmony, deputy Home Affairs Minister Zainal Abidin Zin said in a written statement to Parliament today.

He said that Tan's social visit pass was cancelled because he was found to be "ungrateful to the Sarawak government who had given him the chance to live in the state for 20 years."

"The government is satisfied that his presence in Sarawak can jeorpadise the harmony among the local community," said Zainal, adding that Tan had incited the local people and criticised the government through the Miri Hainanese Association (MHA) in Sarawak.

The deputy minister was responding to DAP member of parliament (MP) for Seputeh Teresa Kok's request to the Sarawak state government and the Immigration Department to reconsider and revoke the cancellation of Tan's social visit pass.

According to the Zainal's statement, the state government decided to cancel Tan's social visit pass on November 7 last year and subsequently deport and bar him from entering the state for a period of one year starting December 6. He said this was done because Tan had violated the conditions of his social visit pass.

Zainal said the decision was in line with Section 65 (1) of the 1959 and 1963 Immigration Act.

"The state government through the Immigration department is aware that it is not obliged to state the reasons why the pass was canceled and why the subject (Tan) was deported," he added.

Chinese education

Last month, Sarawak deputy chief minister George Chan had denied that Tan's deportation had anything to do with political activities.

Following his deportation, the Melaka-born engineer has tried in vain to get a retraction on the decision.

On Dec 13, Tan, who had resided in Sarawak for the past 23 years, was asked to leave the state via a letter from the authorities without being given any reason. He was then deported from Miri on Jan 6 this year, forced apart from his Sarawak-born wife and two children.

Sarawak and Sabah were granted the right to impose separate immigration controls when they joined the Federation of Malaya in 1963 to form Malaysia.

At a recent press conference, Tan alleged the reason for his deportation was due to his criticism over the state government's move to change the medium of the Riam Road Middle School in Miri from Chinese to English.

Tan, who is Miri Hainanese Association secretary, had said articles he wrote on the issue only related to the stand taken by the MHA pertaining to the Chung Hua Middle School and the Riam Road Middle School and supported the implementation of Chinese education in these schools.

He added that the articles were written in his capacity as the secretary of MHA and reflected the decision made by the committee after extensive discussion.