CM says never barred anyone

Shafie

KOTA BELUD: The Federal Government should not make decisions on its own to restrict individuals from entering Sabah, said caretaker Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.

Commenting on DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng’s claim that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had tried to stop him from entering the State when he arrived at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on Tuesday night, Shafie said: “This is something that should be coordinated together with the State Government.

“The Federal Government shouldn’t make decisions on its own as the State Government also has the authority to restrict anyone from entering Sabah.

“This is stated in the constitution. The right is still vested with the State Government, so I hope that there would be cooperation to make sure that everything is in order,” he told reporters when met during the presentation of land titles to Kota Belud folk at Taginambur yesterday.

Referring to MACC’s ongoing case against Lim, Shafie said that although a person with an MACC case can be barred from exiting the country, the person is still allowed to travel between states.

He opined that, if all those with existing MACC cases were barred from entering Sabah, then individuals such as former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should also be barred from entering as he too has an ongoing case.

Shafie pointed out that ever since he took over as Chief Minister in 2018, he had never once barred anyone from entering the State.

He said he even lifted the entry ban on politicians like Tian Chua, Nurul Izzah Anwar and Teresa Kok two days after he was sworn in as the Chief Minister.

In a Facebook post earlier yesterday, Lim, who is former finance minister, claimed that he was held at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport immigration office after he arrived late Tuesday night.

“I arrived at Kota Kinabalu airport yesterday night, went through immigration and was given a social pass at 11.54pm. As I was about to enter my car, an Immigration officer told me to re-enter the airport to which I duly obliged.

“After waiting for 20 minutes I asked him what the issue was and they said the MACC has barred me from entering the state. What’s happening? Isn’t that under the Sabah state’s jurisdiction?” he asked.

Lim said all entry into Sabah is governed by the state itself and not the Federal Government.

He also compared the situation with Najib, who has a 12-year sentence on him for corruption, but was allowed in without a hitch.

“Why am I barred from entering Sabah instead? Is this another case of double standards?

“The authority is under the jurisdiction of the state and not the federal government. Are these efforts by the federal government to interfere with the rights and power of the state?” he asked.

MACC chief Datuk Seri Azam Baki has denied Lim’s claim that the commission had refused him entry into Sabah

“There is no domestic (restriction). The court only impounded his passport so he cannot leave the country. He can enter Sabah using his IC,” he said.

Lim is currently facing corruption charges in court over the Penang undersea tunnel project.

 

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