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KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup declared in Parliament today that opposition federal lawmakers were banned from entering Malaysia’s two easternmost states as they were a threat to unity there.
The minister in charge of national unity was responding to DAP lawmaker for Seputeh Teresa Kok who demanded the minister’s stand on opposition MPs barred from Sabah and Sarawak and its impact on national unity.
“It is the power of the [Sabah and Sarawak] state governments to make such decisions, and in the decision on barring members of parliament, it was made to maintain the existing unity in Sabah and Sarawak,” Kurup said in the Dewan Rakyat.
“So, I believe if you were to enter Sabah and Sarawak, we consider it as harming the unity there,” the Sabah native added.
Kok brought up the matter, stating that several opposition MPs were unable to enter Sarawak to assist with campaigning ahead of the state election due this year, believed to be called as early as next month.
Sarawak and Sabah have autonomy over immigration matters within their borders and occasionally shut their doors to those from the peninsula whom they do not welcome.
Others who have been barred from entering Sarawak include PKR vice-president and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Utara Tony Pua and prominent lawyer and activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/entry-harm-unity-sabah-sarawak-minister-tells-opposition-121400040.html
The minister in charge of national unity was responding to DAP lawmaker for Seputeh Teresa Kok who demanded the minister’s stand on opposition MPs barred from Sabah and Sarawak and its impact on national unity.
“It is the power of the [Sabah and Sarawak] state governments to make such decisions, and in the decision on barring members of parliament, it was made to maintain the existing unity in Sabah and Sarawak,” Kurup said in the Dewan Rakyat.
“So, I believe if you were to enter Sabah and Sarawak, we consider it as harming the unity there,” the Sabah native added.
Kok brought up the matter, stating that several opposition MPs were unable to enter Sarawak to assist with campaigning ahead of the state election due this year, believed to be called as early as next month.
Sarawak and Sabah have autonomy over immigration matters within their borders and occasionally shut their doors to those from the peninsula whom they do not welcome.
Others who have been barred from entering Sarawak include PKR vice-president and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Utara Tony Pua and prominent lawyer and activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/entry-harm-unity-sabah-sarawak-minister-tells-opposition-121400040.html
