Is Putrajaya interfering with Sabah? Guan Eng asks after stopped from entering state ‘under MACC’s orders’

Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng speaks to reporters during a press conference at Parliament, Kuala Lumpur August 26, 2020. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 ― DAPs Lim Guan Eng has alleged double standards and questioned Putrajaya today if it was trying to interfere in Sabah’s sovereignty after an Immigration Department officer refused him entry into the state.

In a Facebook post, Lim said he was stopped by the officer at the Kota Kinabalu airport late last night and was told he could not enter Sabah stating that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had allegedly barred him from entering the state.

“I arrived at Kota Kinabalu airport yesterday night, went through immigration and was given a social pass at 11.54pm. As I was about to enter my car, an Immigration officer told me to re-enter the airport to which I duly obliged.

“After waiting for 20 minutes I asked him what the issue was and they said the MACC has barred me from entering the state. What’s happening? Isn’t that under the Sabah state’s jurisdiction?” he asked.

Lim said all entry into Sabah is governed by the state itself and not the federal government.

He also compared the situation with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who has a 12 year sentence on him for corruption, but was allowed in without a hitch.

“Why am I barred from entering Sabah instead? Is this another case of double standards?

“The authority is under the jurisdiction of the state and not the federal government. Are these efforts by the federal government to interfere with the rights and power of the state?” he asked.

Lim said that after another 30 minutes he was allowed to enter Sabah adding that he would find time to ask Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal if he did not want Lim to enter Sabah.

Last month, Lim pleaded not guilty after he was charged with allegedly seeking a bribe to help a company be appointed for the infrastructure works including the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.

In two other separate cases, he also claimed trial to a graft charge involving RM3.3 million over the multi-billion ringgit undersea tunnel project, and a separate graft charge involving businesswoman Phang Li Koon. - malaymail