Sarawak bars another PKR leader

PKR vice-president R Sivarasa has become the second PKR leader in two-months to be ‘blacklisted’ and barred from entering Sarawak.

Sivarasa, who was in Kuching to meet party leaders, was informed of this after landing at the Kuching International Airport this afternoon and was unable to proceed though immigration.

"After presenting my identity card, the immigration officer told me, ‘Sorry, there is a problem’. Fifteen minutes later, a senior immigration official told me that I have been blacklisted," he said when contacted.

According to Sivarasa, he was served with a official notice stating that he was not entitled to enter the state without a permit under Section 66 (1) of the Immigration Act.

Sivarasa said that he was puzzled by the ban as he was able to enter the state last July, and thus believed that his refusal of entry was a recent decision.

"It shows that there is more of us on the black list. This displays some deep insecurity in the state government here, probably in connection with the forthcoming state elections," he said.

He adds that he would be challenging the refusal of entry notice in court soon.

Meanwhile, PKR’s Padungan state rep Dominique Ng told Malaysiakini that there appears to be racial profiling on part of the state government.

"It appears that PKR leaders of Indian origin are being targetted," he said.

On Dec 24 last year, PKR’s Padang Serai parliamentarian N Gobalakrishnan was barred entry on similar reasons.

Ng added that about a dozen other PKR leaders including Anwar Ibrahim, women’s wing chief Fuziah Salleh and former party secretary-general Khalid Ibrahim were able to travel in the state undisturbed.