DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today offered to trade places with all opposition lawmakers on the list of those banned from entering Sarawak.

The Penang chief minister said the state should ban him instead, and let the other opposition reps, including two Penang executive council members, into the state.

“What about all our other leaders? If you want to bar, bar me instead and let all the other PKR and DAP leaders in. I think that is a good exchange,” he told reporters ar a press conference attended by DAP leaders in Kuching today.

"There are so many others that are not allowed to come in. These are (party) generals, so to speak.

"You may allow only a commander-in-chief, maybe, to come in, but without the generals how can we fight. We are fighting alone," Lim said.

This comes after Lim sailed through Sarawak immigration, despite the growing list of opposition members barred from entering Sarawak ahead of the polls on May 7.

Lim said he did not appeal to Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem to be allowed in, but speculates he was spared because there was more public scrutiny on whether he would be barred.

The DAP said at least ten of of its leaders are banned, which includes Petaling Jaya MP and party publicity secretary Tony Pua, who was deported from Miri Airport last September.

Immigration officials informed the party in 2014 that Seputeh MP and DAP vice chairperson Teresa Kok is also on the ban list.

"We expose the dangers of his (Adenan) undivided support for (Prime Minister) Najib (Abdul Razak).

"I think he is afraid of telling Sarawakians the dangers of supporting Najib wholeheartedly.

"I think that is the principal reason why he doesn't want us to come in,” he said.

Lim speculated leaders from the peninsular are also barred because they might raise the issue of the goods and services tax (GST).

“You can say that this is a local election but you cannot deny that GST affects Sarawakians more than any other state government policy," he said.

'Fighting with our hands and legs tied'

While Sarawak has immigration powers according to the Malaysia Agreement 1963, Lim said the law does not allow barring of individuals entering for legitimate political activities.

"I want to stress here, that we support the immigration powers granted to the Sarawak government. We support the powers, but it must not be abused.

“Powers such as these are to protect the interests of Sarawak, not to protect the interest of Barisan Nasional," said Lim.

He said BN leaders from West Malaysia are allowed to enter without issue, including Umno vice-president and deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who arrived in Sarawak yesterday.

“And on our side, you only have one (Lim). So you there is no level-playing field.

"We are fighting with our hands and our legs tied, left with only our mouth open. And maybe they'll seal our mouth soon."

Lim also does not discount the possibility that he might be barred from entering Sarawak after nomination day on April 25.

He also pointed out that now Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud did not bar opposition leaders from entering in his 33-year-tenure as chief minister.

“This shows that the more power you give (Adenan), the more autocratic he becomes. That's why it’s important that we should deny BN an absolute victory."

The DAP also announced today that it will contest 29 of the 82 seats up for grabs:

  • Tasik Biru;
  • Padungan;
  • Pending;
  • Kota Sentosa;
  • Batu Kawah;
  • Stakan;
  • Mambong;
  • Kedup;
  • Bukit Semuja;
  • Simanggang;
  • Repok;
  • Meradong;
  • Pakan;
  • Ngemah;
  • Bukit Assek;
  • Dudong;
  • Bawang Assan;
  • Pelawan;
  • Pelagus;
  • Katibas;
  • Baleh;
  • Murum;
  • Tanjong Batu;
  • Kemena;
  • Samalaju;
  • Piasau;
  • Pujut;
  • Senadin; and
  • Mulu.

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