By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 7: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan has called on the Sarawak government to consider restricting or prohibiting politicians, ministers, members of Parliament and state assemblymen from Peninsular Malaysia from entering Sarawak to campaign for their respective political parties during the 13th Sarawak Election.
He said allowing politicians from outside the State to campaign could undermine public confidence in Sarawak’s immigration autonomy and create the perception that the State government was weak in exercising its authority over entry into Sarawak.
Voon stressed that Sarawak’s immigration autonomy empowered the State government to regulate entry, including imposing conditions, restrictions or requirements on visitors when necessary in the interests of public order, security and the welfare of Sarawakians.
“Neither the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) nor the Malaysia Plan expressly provides political parties from Peninsular Malaysia with the right to enter Sabah and Sarawak to contest state elections or campaign in the two regions.
“Sarawakians have never surrendered their right to choose their own State government to political parties based in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.
Voon emphasised that the issue was not merely about political campaigning but also about safeguarding Sarawak’s autonomy and the democratic right of its people to determine their own State government.
“Sarawak elections are for Sarawakians to choose the government that will govern Sarawak. The issues are local,” he said.
He said the election should focus on issues directly affecting Sarawakians, including land rights, the cost of living, employment, water and electricity supply, roads, internet connectivity, education, healthcare, and the protection of Sarawak’s rights and resources.
“ Sarawak should exercise its immigration autonomy carefully, lawfully and transparently to prevent outside political interference from overwhelming or distorting the choices of Sarawak voters,” he added.
Voon warned that failure by the State government to consider such measures could be perceived as a lack of resolve in defending Sarawak’s autonomy and the democratic rights of its people.
He also urged all political parties to respect Sarawakians’ right to determine their own State government, stressing that campaigning should focus on Sarawak’s needs and future rather than federal political interests or agendas originating from outside the State.
“Sarawakians must be allowed to choose their leaders freely, without pressure, intimidation or excessive interference from political forces outside Sarawak.
“Sarawak’s election must remain in the hands of Sarawakians,” he said. — DayakDaily
