DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has written to Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem yesterday, asking that party members barred from the state to be allowed entry as they are on legitimate political business.

In the letter, Lim asked Adenan to direct the Sarawak Immigration director to allow DAP members and leaders entry into Sarawak as state polls looms.

"I am writing to you to urge you to direct the director of Immigration to forthwith allow the above said people entry into Sarawak," wrote Lim, who is also Penang chief minister.

He referred to Section 67 of the Immigration Act which states that the state's special immigration powers to ban entry does not extend to those engaging in legitimate political activity.

"Section 66(1) shall not have effect in relation to a citizen entering the East Malaysian state for the sole purpose of engaging in legitimate political activity; but the burden of proof that a person is entitled to enter the East Malaysian state under this section shall lie on him," he noted.

Section 66(1) is the section of the act which imposes the requirement of an entry permit or pass for entry into Sarawak and empowers the state to ban those deemed to be undesirables by denying them such documents.

DAP's Kulai MP and assistant national publicity secretary, Teo Nie Ching, and party member Ooi Leng Hang were both recently refused entry into the state as directed by Adenan under the provisions of the Immigration Act.

"I understand that there may be many other members from my party, mostly members of Parliament, who are on the 'ban list'; the state authority has directed the director of the Immigration to refuse entry to them into Sarawak," Lim added.

Vouched for all DAP members

In his capacity as party secretary-general, Lim vouched that all the DAP members travelling to Sarawak are on legitimate political business as covered under Section 67 of the Immigration Act.

"As the DAP secretary-general, I am vouching for Teo ( photo ), Ooi and all other DAP members of parliament that their intention to enter Sarawak is for the sole purpose of engaging in legitimate political activity, such as engaging in election campaign for the imminent Sarawak state election," he said.

Lim argued that his endorsement should be weight enough to invoke Section 67, and thus the state ban on them which is under Section 66(1) should cease to affect them and they should be allowed entry into Sarawak.

Election Commission chief Mohd Hashim Abdullah announced at a press conference in Kuching today that May 7 will be the polling date for the state election, with nomination for the polls that will see 82 seats up for grabs to be held on April 25.

Teo, Ooi and several other DAP members and leaders have been barred from enterring Sarawak as campaigning for the state polls is heating up. Leaders from federal opposition parties Amanah and PKR have also been stopped from entering the state.

Critics said that this is a blatant attempt by Adenan to sabotage the opposition campaign while the chief minister argued that he only banned those he considers to be detrimental to the unity and harmony of Sarawak, as well as those he deems undesirable.