Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) today accused the Sarawak Government of violating Article 9 of the Federal Constitution with its decision to bar the party’s president, Mohamad Sabu, from entering the state.
“It is a tragedy when a Malaysian who is also a party president has his movement restricted because of a state’s right and autonomy despite Article 9 guaranteeing an individual’s freedom of movement,” Amanah Vice-President Mujahid Yusof Rawa said in a press conference outside the Dewan Rakyat.
“I am urging Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem to stop his embarrassing act of denying a person’s democratic right to move about,” he added.
Mohamad was turned away by immigration officers when he landed at Sibu airport this morning. He said the only explanation given to him was that the order came from the Chief Minister’s office.
The Amanah President joins several opposition leaders on the Sarawak blacklist. Others who have been barred from the state include Nurul Izzah Anwar, Tian Chua, Zuraida Kamarudin, Teresa Kok and Tony Pua.
At another press conference, Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed said Sarawak had the right to bar individuals from the state and the state government was not obliged to inform his ministry.
“The Immigration Act allows Sarawak to make whatever decision it wants to on this matter,” he said. “The Home Ministry has jurisdiction only in the peninsula.”
PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang also spoke to reporters on the issue. He said members of his party had so far not been barred from Sarawak.
“There have been no restrictions applied to PAS leaders,” he said.-FMT
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