The Sarawak government is justified in blocking opposition leaders, especially DAP, to protect interracial harmony, Culture and Tourism Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz said.

“I understand why the Sarawak chief minister blocks DAP leaders from the peninsula from entering, because they will use racism which is not done in Sarawak.

“Adenan wants to maintain good relations between Sarawak communities.

“DAP is a typical chauvinistic and racist party and this will cause issues among the Sarawak people.

“The CM understands Sarawak better and I support his efforts,” he told reporters in Putrajaya.

He was responding to a spate of immigration bans against opposition leaders in the lead up to the 11th state election.

Among them are PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, DAP’s Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP vice-chairperson Teresa Kok and DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua.

In a separate statement, electoral watchdog Bersih said the growing list of persons banned from entering Sarawak is “shocking”, “undemocratic” and “illegal”.

It urged Sarawak legal adviser JC Fong to explain why election campaigning or championing free and fair elections is considered illegitimate activities warranting deportation, under Section 67 of the Immigration Act.

The state must also give a reason for the ban so affected persons can take further action, it said.

Bersih’s chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and secretariat member Mandeep Singh have been barred from entering the state.

It also noted that the Section 66(1) of the Immigration Act bars Sarawak from banning Malaysian citizens entering for legitimate political activity.

“Adenan’s illegal action has given a bad name to Sarawak’s internal immigration power,” it said.