IT is political abuse to benefit the Barisan Nasional, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said after he was barred today from entering Sabah where he was to launch several DAP community projects. 

In a Facebook post, Pua said the Sabah government had chosen to abuse its immigration powers to stop him from telling the truth to the people of Sabah.

“Sigh. I’ve been kicked out of Sabah.

“I’ve arrived to launch several Impian Sabah water projects we have completed in Keningau, Tenom and Pensiangan this long weekend. 

“In the evenings, the ‘Jelajah Skandal 1MDB Pedalaman Sabah’ forums were being organised.

“Don’t worry, I’ll still be with the people of Sabah this evening via video tonight. See you soon.”

Earlier Pua was stunned when Immigration officers at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport prevented his entry into Sabah. He was deported on the 2pm flight.

Sabah DAP chairman Stephen Wong said: “You know-lah, this government is misusing its powers. Although the state government is in charge of immigration, he (Chief Minister Musa Aman) cannot just use this to stop anybody he dislikes, such as Tony Pua and Teresa Kok.

“They are democratically elected members of Parliament and have done nothing wrong,” he said.

Wong pointed out they were neither terrorists nor a threat to Sabah’s security that they had to be barred from the state.

“They are visiting Sabah to practise their democratic right which is protected under the constitution. 

“Probably, the BN government is scared of DAP and people like Pua and Kok.”

Pua is also persona non grata in neighbouring Sarawak, from which he was deported in September 2015.

He had said then that he had been barred from Sarawak because of his expose of the 1MDB scandal.

Pua was also subjected to a year-long travel ban that was lifted last October. He was put on the travel blacklist and barred from going overseas in July 2015 for being involved in activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy. – April 28, 2017.