S'WAK POLLS Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri is "immature" for supporting the entry ban on opposition politicians from Sarawak, purportedly to maintain harmony, DAP's Klang MP Charles Santiago said.
Nancy, who is also PBB's MP for Batang Sadong, urged outsiders who do not know the state not to interfere with BN's development politics.
"Nancy's comments are immature and nonsensical as not allowing opposition politicians entry into the state denies the people access to alternative views, especially in the rural areas.
"It takes a further whack at the spirit of free and fair elections, as opposition politicians are unable to campaign and educate voters," he said in a statement today.
He also questioned if the list of banned individuals is out of fear of inroads made by the opposition since the 2011 state polls.
Those banned from entering include DAP MPs Liew Chin Tong, Anthony Loke and Tony Pua, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, Penang state executive council member Dr Afif Bahardin and Selangor legislative assembly speaker Hannah Yeoh.
Electoral watchdog Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah is also barred from entry.
'Means to maintain harmony'
Chief Minister Adenan Satem defends the immigration ban as a means to maintain harmony and argues that he has also banned BN friendly parties like Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali.
Two Umno grassroots leaders, Sungai Besar division chief Jamal Md Yunos, who led a racially-heightened rally in Kuala Lumpur last year and Wangsa Maju division exco member Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, who runs the pro-Umno blog Papagomo, are also banned.
Charles said BN is cashing in on Adenan's "clean image" but does not address the rural-urban divide, lack of health care and indigenous people's rights, among others.
"It's to fortify a big win and ensure the victory can be used as a political capital for 2018 that Opposition politicians' calls for reforms and alternative views are kept away from Sarawakians, especially those in rural areas.
"It's a shameless strategy. But again with BN and (Prime Minister) Najib (Abdul Razak), anything goes," he said.
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