The Sarawak state government was right in keeping lawmakers from the opposition coalition out of the state and the state's immigration restrictions should be further tightened, according to Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) Baru.

"We want to tell DAP and PKR not to interfere with immigration. Let it be," PBDS Baru president Louis Jaraw ( pix, left ) told reporters in Kuching yesterday.

Asked if the party's support extended to the state ban list as well, that include over 40 opposition lawmakers, activists and academicians, Louis said: "Yes, and to a certain extent, tighten it."

"The present government has its own reasons to bar some of them. Not all are barred. Even senior leaders are allowed in. There must be something those people have done that must have offended the state. That's why they are barred."

Asked why the state government decided to bar Ooi Leng Hang, the designer of DAP's 'Ubah' election mascot, Louis said: "You have to ask the CM (Adenan Satem) why they banned the fellow from coming in. Maybe he wants to create another mascot, I don't know."

The May 7 election is PBDS Baru's first. It is not affiliated with the state BN.

PBDS Baru announced that it will contest less than 10 seats and would be fielding Dayak candidates. The party leadership said it is a multi-racial party.

"We consider ourselves a local Sarawakian party. We definitely oppose Umno. We oppose PKR, DAP. We also oppose PAS," said party deputy president Patrick Anek Uren ( pix, right ).

Anwar's pledge 'insincere'

Party vice-president Elli Luhat said the party's primary concerns are state's rights.

"We believe that being local we can create more pressure to get more autonomy if possible. We don't believe in people who are not Sarawakians that are based in the peninsula and trying to tell us 'we are trying to fight for your autonomy'. We don't believe that, particularly PKR, DAP, to be frank," he said.

"How can they fight for our autonomy when they are based in the peninsula?" Elli said, calling PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's pledge to protect Sarawak's rights as "insincere".

"I told Jeffrey Kitingan not (to join PKR). Look where he is now? The PKR chairperson in Sarawak (Baru Bian) was appointed (by national leaders) and not voted in. You can see how insincere the relationship is," said Elli.

Patrick said the party does not consider itself an opposition party.

Asked if the party may consider joining BN should it perform well in the state election, Patrick said: "We will cross the bridge when we come to it."

Patrick accused United People's Party (UPP) president Wong Soon Koh and Sarawak People's Energy Party (Teras) president William Mawan of "betraying" party members, calling them "opportunists".

"Are they serving the people or serving themselves by abandoning their parties?" he asked.

Meanwhile, the party announced today that Patrick will be contesting for the Opar state seat against Ranum Mina, the incumbent. Ranum has quit UPP to contest as a BN direct candidate.

Patrick served as the BN parliamentarian for Mas Gading from 1974 to 1986 as a member of SNAP, a BN component party which was kicked out in 2004 and de-registered in 2013.

Prior to forming PBDS Baru, Patrick was also vice-president of State Reform Party (STAR).

PBDS was de-registered in 2003 following party infighting between president Daniel Tajem and his challenger, James Masing.

Masing later formed Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), which will contest 11 seats on May 7.