Preventing entry to Sarawak means Barisan is threatened, claims Kuching MP

KUALA LUMPUR: Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen on Wednesday said that the recent episode of opposition leaders being denied entry to Sarawak goes to show that the current state government is threatened by Pakatan Rakyat.

"None of those who were prevented entry are in any way a threat to the security of the state or the nation.

"With that said, it does not make any sense to stop them from entering the state," he said adding that this is an abuse of power to increase their stronghold on the state.

DAP's Chong alleged that it was unethical for Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem to prevent parliament representatives from seeing the people.

"It also came to our attention that the directive to deny entry for the leaders came about on March 22 which was after the nomination in Balingian."

 "Therefore we can assume that they are trying to stop us from campaigning there, which clearly goes against the concept of democracy and an obvious show of misuse of power," he said during a press conference in parliament

Chong added that it was reported in Borneo Post that he will stop all those he does not like including UMNO leaders from entering the state as the Tiong Hua people do not like them.

"I also urge the Election commission to make a stand as to whether or not the state government gets to dictate the the situation this way during the campaigning period.

"However we are quite sure that the majority will reduce during this by-election as the existing campaigning is going well and there is substantial ammount of support during all the ceramah's we have conducted thus far," he said.

Also present during the press conference was Batu MP Tian Chua, Seputeh MP Theresa Kok and Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution whose names were all listed to be denied entry from Sarawak.