Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng has accused the MACC of concealing the truth over an attempt to block him from entering Sabah on Tuesday night.
"The MACC has lied in 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 Shafie Apdal has confirmed personally to me a news report quoting him as saying I was initially stopped from entering Sabah because I was on the MACC watchlist.
"This proves that MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki was lying when he denied that MACC had imposed restrictions on me entering Sabah," Lim, who is the Bagan MP, said in a statement today.
He said he reached Kota Kinabalu last night and passed the airport immigration and was given a social visit pass at 11.54pm. However, when he had nearly reached his car, he was asked to re-enter the airport by a senior immigration officer.
The DAP secretary-general said he was told at the time that the MACC had "set up barriers" for him to enter Sabah.
"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," he added.
"Now that Shafie has 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 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," Lim added.
Contacted by Malaysiakini yesterday, MACC chief Azam (above) said that there were no restrictions on Lim.
"There is no domestic (restriction). The court only impounded his passport so he cannot leave the country.
"He can enter Sabah using his IC," he told Malaysiakini in a text message.
Azam was also quoted by Sin Chew Daily as saying that it was possible that there might have been a misunderstanding by Sabah Immigration because Lim's passport is withheld by the courts.
Malaysiakini is now trying to contact Azam for a further response.
Lim said the situation raises serious doubts about the impartiality, independence, integrity and professionalism of MACC.
"Unless Azam 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," he said.
Last month Lim claimed trial to a charge of soliciting bribes in connection with the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.
Calling it double standards, he cited the cases of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison as well as fined RM210 million and that of Umno president Zahid Hamidi, who is on trial on corruption charges. Both, he claimed, could enter Sabah without any problems.
"Such selective targeting by MACC is an abuse of power to bully and humiliate me," he said.
Lim went on to state that his belief was that MACC has abused its power because the power to prevent Malaysians, who are 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, as granted under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution, and disrespect for Sabah rights and Sabahans.
"Shafie is naturally upset that his powers on such an important immigration issue have been violated. The people of Sabah should not permit the federal government agencies from taking away Sabah’s powers and rights," he added. - Mkini
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