PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has slammed the Sarawak chief minister for abusing laws protecting the state's rights to bar PKR leaders from entering the state.

“The state rights mean native customary rights (NCR) land, the wealth and property of the people of all communities, the rights of the poorest and the marginalised communities.

“But he (Adenan Satem) uses this pretext to protect timber owners and corrupt political leaders so he bars these PKR leaders from coming to Sarawak, as he fears that these opposition leaders  may raise these issues with the people of Sarawak,” he said.

“What crimes have (PKR strategy director and MP for Pandan) Rafizi Ramli, (Batu MP) Tian Chua and (PKR secretary general) Saifuddin Nasution committed that merit them being denied entry to Sarawak?” Anwar asked.

He said when Adenan ( left in photo with Taib Mahmud ) took over from Abdul Taib Mahmud as chief minister, he conveyed his greetings wishing him well and hoped he would clear the mess and rid the state of corruption and ensured the new CM helped the poor and the marginalised regardless of their ethnicity.

“He should also stop plundering NCR land belonging to the people. These are our only hope.

“But suddenly in a matter of weeks after becoming chief minister, Adenan started banning people from entering Sarawak. That is certainly not a good sign,” he said.

'Stuck in old mindset'

“He even made a very unkind remark about me that if I misbehave myself, he will stop me from coming to Sarawak.

“I would expect him, being younger and from a different generation, not to take the doctrinaire view of the old PBB and BN’s mindset.

“Until now I have not seen any statement of policies that have shifted in positive direction,” he said, pointing out that although he is in the opposition, he would welcome things that were positive.

“I don’t take the extreme view that things done (by him)  must necessarily be wrong,” he said.

On the reason why Adenan allowed him to enter Sarawak, but not some lesser personalities from PKR, Anwar said, “Maybe he sees me now as less of a problem and that I am now a good guy.

“But next time, I may not be that lucky,” he said.

Adenan's leniency on Anwar might also come from fear of the international pressures especially from the Arab countries, which had pledged more than RM24 billion in investments in Sarawak's corridor Renewal Energy (Score), he said.

Anwar had a host of wealthy and influential friends in the Arab world.

'Wake up to failed gov't'

On his visit to Kuching, Anwar said  his visit this time was to share his concerns with the people of Sarawak and local Pakatan leaders especially on the public's growing disenchantment with the present government.

“We have seen the way the courts have been used against the opposition, and we have seen how the authorities are coaching the media.

"We have seen growing racist remarks against especially the Chinese and the Christians, and the way they (the government has) mishandled the (disappearance of) MAS MH370.

“Clearly all these are testimonies of the government’s failure to resolve these issues,” he said.

“I come here partly to share these concerns with the people of Sarawak and Pakatan leaders and at the same time to educate the people.

“We have to do more than the normal conventional way of educating the people and sharing the information with them.

"We have to use every means including the proposed (anti GST) rally on May 1,”  he said.

Last night Anwar addressed more than 1,000 people at the Sungai Maong bazaar, Third Mile.

He returned to Kuala Lumpur this morning.