THERE are no signs that Sarawak has changed its policy on barring politicians and activists from the peninsula, regarded as troublemakers, from entering the state.

Electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0’s Sarawak chapter earlier this week demanded that Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg lift what it described as “the unlawful entry ban on political activists” after its former secretariat secretary, Mandeep Singh, was denied entry.

Mandeep, now a special officer to Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo, was placed on the blacklist in 2016 over his Bersih activities.

He was travelling with Gobind earlier this week for a pre-Gawai celebration at a longhouse on the outskirts of the oil and gas town, when immigration officials at the airport stopped him and told him that he could not be allowed in.

Mandeep was allowed to enter after an appeal for special exemption which granted him temporary entry “for purposes of the federal government” for three days.

Bersih also demanded the lifting of the entry ban on its current chairman Thomas Fann, former leaders Maria Chin and Ambiga Sreenevasan, political analyst Wong Chin Huat and Human Rights commissioner Jerald Joseph, among other activists.

However, Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah fired back, saying the demand smacks of self-interest, was politically tainted and an attempt to erode one of the few rights the state still has.

“Bersih must stay apolitical and not drag itself into trying to remove rights enshrined in the federal constitution,” Karim said.

The right over immigration and right of entry into the state belong to Sarawak and “will stay that way”, he said.

“Do not use the cloak of Bersih to undermine the good social fabric of unity, tolerance and understanding which Sarawak has developed through the years, with Malayan-style politics.”

Sarawak and Sabah have full autonomy over immigration as part of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) to form Malaysia.

But critics, like Bersih, said the autonomy is to protect residents of the states from economic competition from Malaysians from other states and not to shield politicians or political parties in the states from competition.

Bersih Sarawak coordinator Anne Teo said the ban on Mandeep and other activists is, therefore, “arbitrary, unlawful and a blatant abuse of power” by the Sarawak government.

Sarawak rarely comments on the ban but an administration source once told The Malaysian Insight that there are some 200 names on the blacklist.

They include that of the prime minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim; his daughter Nurul Izzah; DAP political veteran Lim Kit Siang; Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh; Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraidah Kamaruddin; Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok; firebrand Muslim convert preacher Ridhuan Tee Abdullah; right-wing Malay leader Ibrahim Ali; Umno red shirt leader Jamal Yunos; Hindu Rights Act Force leader and now minister P. Waytha Moorthy; and former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli.

With the change of government in Putrajaya after the 14th general election, Sarawak has given exemption to those who have been appointed to the federal cabinet.

It has also given ad hoc exemptions on a case-to-case basis.

“Once on the list, stays on the list,” the administration source said.

“No one has been taken off yet.”

Abang Johari’s predecessor, Adenan Satem, promised in December 2015 to review the ban.

He never had the chance to do so as he died in January 2017. – May 26, 2019.