Among the reasons DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua was barred from entering Sarawak was his criticisms and allegations against 1MDB.
"Before this, Pua was allowed into Sarawak but his name has been blacklisted recently due to several reasons including the accusations he made against 1MDB," a source within the state administration said, as reported by Utusan Malaysia yesterday.
The source also said that it is the state government's prerogative to ban any religious extremists or racist politics from their state to ensure the social harmony within Sarawak.
Pua, who is on the Public Accounts Committee that is probing into the 1MDB allegations, has been vocally speaking up on the 1MDB issues.
On Wednesday afternoon, Pua was deported from Miri, Sarawak despite being cleared by immigration that morning.
He was not given a reason as to why he was barred from entering Sarawak.
Pua had said he entered Sarawak by flight at 9.30am but "apparently they made a mistake".
Immigration finally found Pua while he was having lunch around 2pm and put him on a flight back to Kuala Lumpur at 4.20pm.
"Why is it that I, who have never issued a racial statement, what more a racist statement, been barred from entering Sarawak?" he had asked.
Some others who have been barred from entering the East Malaysian state include former Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan, DAP MP Teresa Kok, Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali, PKR MPs Rafizi Ramli, Tian Chua and Zuraida Kamaruddin and columnist Ridhuan Tee Abdullah.
Related reports
WSJ: IPIC didn't get US$1.4b collateral from 1MDB
WSJ: Another US$1b payment from 1MDB to IPIC missing
