Barring entry into Sarawak nothing new, must be respected - Salleh

The Sarawak government barring certain individuals from entering the state in the interest of security must be respected, said Communications and Mulitmedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak.

He said it was nothing new and had been done before in the interest of the state.

"This issue (immigration autonomy) must be respected by all quarters," he told reporters after going on a walkabout at the Miri Fish Market and the commercial area in the vicinity, today.

He was accompanied by the Barisan Nasional candidate for Piasau, Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew.

Salleh said the issue should not be made political capital by the opposition in campaigning ahead of the Sarawak state election on Saturday because immigration rights for Sabah and Sarawak were enshrined in the Constitution.

"They (opposition) must accept the fact that in the Malaysia Agreement 1963, Sarawak and Sabah have powers over certain matters including immigration," he said.

READ: Nurul Izzah denied entry to Sarawak

He said the affected individuals were also given room to appeal.

Salleh said he did not believe the barring of these individuals had affected the campaigning of their parties as this (campaigning) was running smoothly without any untoward incidents.

On the walkabout, he said the feedback received showed the BN candidate was received favourably.

Ting, who is also SUPP secretary-general, will be facing Sarawak DAP secretary Alan Ling Sie Kiong, the incumbent.