updated version

A long-time Sarawak resident who was barred from the state early this year has been given a last-minute respite by the state authorities to vote in the state elections today.

The state immigration department issued a letter to businessman Tan Seng Him early this morning allowing him to exercise his rights as a voter for the Piasau state seat in Miri.

However, Tan was compelled to adhere to three conditions imposed by the department, that he:

- presents himself to the department

- stays only at his home in Miri

- leaves Sarawak tomorrow by 7am

The 61-year-old former Chinese educationist was deported from Sarawak on Jan 6 after having resided there for 23 years for allegedly criticising the state government.

He was 'accidentally' allowed back into the state by the Miri airport authorities on Sunday.

Tan has defied the deportation order because he wanted to exercise his right to vote and to meet his family whom he has not seen for six months.

According to Sarawak Immigration director Robert Lian, Tan was allowed into Sarawak last Sunday without any written approval from his department.

"Therefore, your entry into Sarawak is not valid," he said in the department's letter to Tan.

Coming out of hiding

When contacted by malaysiakini , Tan said the authorities called his wife, Lu Ya Lei, last night to inform him that he was given the permission to vote in the state election today.

"The authorities also told my wife that I could stay after casting my vote, however this morning they said 'no'," Tan lamented.

The businessman nevertheless vowed that he would not voluntarily leave Sarawak.

He added that he planned to go to the polling station just before it closes this afternoon.

Tan has been in hiding since he arrived in Miri last Sunday.

However, after receiving news that he is allowed to vote, Tan met some of his old friends for breakfast this morning.

Shortly after that, he went home with his wife, to be greeted by his children and four immigration officers, who had waited to serve the letter to Tan.

'Ungrateful' resident

In January, Tan - originally from Melaka - was deported from Sarawak without any reason given.

Tan, who is a developer, has been living in Sarawak for the past two decades with his wife and their two children.

The Sarawak Immigration Department served a notice on Tan at his office on Dec 22 last year giving him two weeks to leave the state.

Tan was also told that he would not be permitted to re-enter Sarawak again.

In a written statement to Parliament in April, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Zainal Abidin Zin said that Tan was deported because he was a critic of the state government.

He added that Tan was found to be ungrateful to the Sarawak government who had given him the chance to live in the state for two decades.