S'WAK POLLS Sarawak caretaker Chief Minister Adenan Satem is willing to consider extending the entry permits for both PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

"Adenan has in the past considered on a case by case basis extending the stay of non-Sarawakian and he is willing to consider extending both the chief minister of Penang and menteri besar of Selangor's stay here upon receiving their formal request," a statement from Adenan's office said today.

Azmin and Lim both arrived in Sarawak yesterday to find that their entry permits stated that they can only remain in the state for a limited number of days, before the Sarawak elections.

Azmin must leave by May 2, while Lim's permit is until May 5th.

Sarawak, which is granted special powers in the Immigration Act when it comes to regulating entry into the state, normally grants a 90-day permit for visitors from the peninsula.

However, as stated in the provisions of the Act, the state reserves the right to bar entry to anybody and limit the number of days it allows visitors.

The state immigration authorities have banned a long list of opposition politicians from entry in the run-up to the May 7 state elections, as well as one or two from Malay party Umno.

Adenan had said that those denied entry could jeapordise harmony in Sarawak, while the opposition accused the chief minister of preventing them from traveling within the country, a right enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

The opposition have also accused Adenan of preventing them from conducting legitimate political activities, persons on such agenda specifically excluded from being barred entry as specified in the Immigration Act provisions granting Sarawak its special immigration powers.