PKR leaders Nurul Izzah Anwar and Zuraida Kamaruddin had “no problem” entering Sarawak via the Kuching International Airport yesterday even though the two are on the list of people barred from the state.

PKR Women chief and Ampang MP Zuraida flew in after noon and PKR vice-president and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah later in the evening,  both to attend the PRK open house in Petra Jaya yesterday night.

Nurul was relieved to be allowed entry, which meant she would be able to present the PKR candidates for the state election.

She was declared persona non grata in Sarawak in December 2015 after she was photographed with Jacel Kiram, the daughter of the self-proclaimed Sulu sultan who masterminded the 2013 Lahad Datu incursion.

However, the Sarawak government made an exception for her last June and she was allowed into the state to attend the funeral of her slain party colleague,  native land rights activist Bill Kayong.

She and Batu MP Tian Chua, another PKR leader on the barred list, were allowed to remain in the state for only a week.

At last night’s open house, Nurul said there was no reason for her and  Zuraida  be barred from Sarawak as “we are not criminals”.

“We are here to build rapport with the people of Sarawak,” she said.

“This time, there’s no condition attached. I hope this can continue,” she said.

Zuraida said she was a little apprehensive while walking from the plane to the immigration control gates.

“The immigration officer saw my name, called a senior colleague over for verification and was told ‘it’s alright’,” she said.

Zuraida was barred in January last year.

She said now that she was no longer barred, she planned to travel here every two weeks in the run up to the general election.

While Zuraida flies home today, Nurul has a date with Kuching youth in a “sesi teh tarik dan borak santai bersama Nurul Izzah (teh tarik and chat session with Nurul Izzah)” in a Malay restaurant in Kuching metro city – a new satellite township in Petra Jaya.

The conversation will centre around the important role of youth in the future.

She flies home later today. – August 6, 2017.