Balingian by-election: ‘Anwar can come but shouldn’t be naughty’

MUKAH: Sarawak will not bar Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from coming into the state, although three of his PKR colleagues have been denied entry.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem said the state government was not afraid of Anwar and therefore he would be allowed to enter.

“But if he tries to do anything naughty while he is here, we will kick him out,” he said yesterday.

He reiterated his statement last week that Sarawak would invoke its immigration power to prevent outsiders known to be “religious bigots, communal racists and troublemakers” from coming into the state.

“We can do this because we have the power over immigration. If anybody wants to sue us, go ahead.”

Adenan was referring to state PKR vice-chairman See Chee How’s rem­arks on Sunday that the party would seek judicial intervention if the state government misused its immigration prerogative to bar opposition leaders and members from entering the state for legitimate political activities.

Later, Adenan declined to comment on the denial of entry to PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution, vice-president Tian Chua and strategic director Rafizi Ramli.

Adenan said Sarawak did not need political parties from peninsular Malaysia to help run its affairs.

“I know the Chinese community in Sarawak does not want Umno to come here. As long as I am Chief Minister, I don’t want Umno to come here either,” he said.