IMMIGRATION DEPT CAN STOP ANYONE FROM ENTERING SABAH – MUSA

Immigration Dept can stop anyone from entering Sabah – Musa

Dec 9 2011 KOTA KINABALU: With valid reasons, the relevant authority can stop anyone from entering into the state, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said.

Sabah, he pointed out, welcomes visitors to the state but the Immigration Department will bar the entry of any individual(s) if there was a reason for it to do so.

Musa said this when asked to comment on Malaysia Civil Liberty Movement (MCLM) chairman Harris Fadilah Mohd Ibrahim being refused an entry into Sabah on Wednesday.

“The relevant authority has a valid reason to deny him entry into Sabah, that is all I have to say,”

he said.

To the question on what he meant by relevant authority, Musa replied, “The Immigration Department.”

On Wednesday, Harris, a Malaysian blogger and believed to be a close friend of well-known blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, was prevented from entering Sabah upon his arrival on AirAsia flight AK5106 at 3.10pm at Terminal 2 of Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

It was learnt that upon arrival, Harris was immediately taken to the airport’s Immigration office by an immigration officer and was served with a notice.

Speaking to reporters through a handphone of a Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) member, Harris said the notice was addressed to him, dated December 7, on behalf of the director of Immigration.

“I have just been handed with a notice of refusal of entry into the state of Sabah, dated today and addressed to me on behalf of the Immigration Sabah director.

“The notice says that the reason that I have been barred is that pursuant to Section 65 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, the state authority has directed that no pass be issued to me to enter the state of Sabah as such part required under Section 66 for me to enter the state.

“The reason for my refusal to enter Sabah today is because the state authority has directed that no pass be issued to me,” he said, adding that the officer who spoke and handed the notice to him claimed that the instruction came from the Immigration Department and they did not know of the reason why he was refused an entry pass.

It was learnt that Harris was invited by SAPP members to exchange ideas and to learn about the struggle of MCLM.

Harris also said that this was the first time he had been barred from entering Sabah and twice from entering Sarawak, during the Sarawak state elections.