Former Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan has failed to challenge Sabah Immigration's move to bar her from entering the state in November last year.

Ambiga's application was denied in chambers by Judicial Commissioner Gabriel Gumis as the Kota Kinabalu High Court cannot review the powers of the state’s Immigration Department, reported The Star .

This was based on a Federal Court decision in 2002 which held that the ouster clause in section 59a of the Immigration Act 1959/63 meant that the courts had no grounds for judicial review of the Sabah government's decision.

The Star cited Ambiga's lawyer James Tsai as saying the court also did not allow for any judicial review as Ambiga had failed to give valid reasons on why she was entitled to enter Sabah.

Ambiga was barred from entering Sabah for a programme by NGO Negara-ku, of which she is a patron, on Nov 25 last year.

She is one of several activists and opposition leaders barred from entering East Malaysia.

Last Wednesday, Sarawak's immigration nabbed Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua ( photo ) in Miri and deported him, after he was let in "by mistake".

Sabah and Sarawak have immigration rights and can bar non-natives from entering the state.