Press Statement by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bagan, Lim Guan Eng in Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur On 3 September 2020

MACC Has Lied For Denying That They Had Tried To Block Me From Entering Sabah And Also Encroached On Sabah Rights By Violating The Immigration Powers Of The Sabah Chief Minister.

The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission’s (MACC) has lied for denying that they had tried to block me from entering Sabah and also encroached on Sabah rights by violating the Immigration powers of the Sabah Chief Minister.

Caretaker Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has confirmed personally to me, news report quoting him as saying I was initially stopped from entering Sabah because I was on MACC watchlist. This proves that MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki was lying when he denied that MACC had imposed restrictions on me entering Sabah.

I was issued a social visit pass at 11.54 pm Tuesday night, and as I was about to enter a vehicle to leave the airport, I was called back into the Kota Kinabalu Airport Immigration Office. I was told that my entry into Sabah was “blocked” by MACC. After I had pressed the issue with them for some time that only the Sabah Chief Minister and not MACC can block me from entering Sabah, the Immigration officers let me leave after 40 minutes.

Now that Shafie had confirmed that he did not bar me from entering Sabah, but was informed by the Sabah Immigration Department director that the “blocking” order was given by the MACC, Azam Baki should come clean and tell the truth. If the MACC can lie on such a straightforward matter, there are real concerns that MACC is deliberately targeting me solely because of political reasons.

MACC Double-standards

This raises serious doubts about the impartiality, independence, integrity and professionalism of MACC. Unless Azam Baki bravely owns up that he was not telling the truth, the slogan of MACC “adil, tegas, amanah” (fair, firm and trustworthy” are just empty and meaningless words.

MACC clearly practices double-standards when they did not impose such restrictions on former Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak or ex-Home Minister Zahid Hamidi entering Sabah, who were also charged for corruption. Such selective targeting by MACC is an abuse of power to “bully and humiliate” me.

Do Not Encroach On Sabah Powers And Rights

MACC has abused their power because the power to prevent Malaysians not from Sabah, from entering Sabah rests solely with the Sabah Chief Minister and not the Federal government. Encroaching on the powers of the Sabah Chief Minister, is a clear violation of the promises made to Sabah granted under the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, the Federal Constitution and disrespect for Sabah rights and Sabahans.

Shafie is naturally upset that his powers on such an important immigration issue has been violated. The people of Sabah should not permit Federal government agencies from taking away Sabah powers and rights. This would be one of the principal issues in the coming Sabah state general elections. Sabahans must therefore decide whether Sabah is for Sabahans to determine their own destiny.

Lim Guan Eng,
DAP Secretary-General,
Member of Parliament for Bagan.