Dr Mahathir met by PH Sarawak leaders on arrival
KUCHING: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, now leading Pakatan Harapan ( PH), was received by PH Sarawak leaders at the VVIP lounge of Kuching International Airport ( KIA) yesterday.
The former Umno leader, accompanied by bodyguards, showed up at the lounge with a big entourage slightly after 5pm.
He then addressed a packed press conference in the presence of, among other individuals, PH Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen and Democratic Action Party ( DAP) parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang.
The emcee for the conference requested journalists to keep their questions short and simple, saying that Dr Mahathir needed a rest before giving his talk near BDC Everrise last night.
Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister from 1981 to 2003, answered almost all questions posed during the brief conference in a soothing and relaxing manner.
Towa rds the end o f the conference, he even took the fact that some PH leaders had been barred from entering Sarawak lightly by saying: “It shows that Sarawak is very independent. You have your own passport, almost.”
Met after the conference, Chong said he was glad that Dr Mahathir and Lim were allowed entry into the state.
Chong, who is Bandar Kuching MP andKot aS ent os a assemblyman, said it would be ‘ a joke of the century’ had the state government barred both Dr Mahathir and Lim from coming to Sarawak, adding: “( It would be) akin to the joke that the prime minister had recently announced to help strengthen the US economy.”
Chong, however, was not happy that a couple of PH leaders had been barred from entering the state, pointing out that was not how Sarawakians wanted to show their hospitality.
“We have no question about Sarawak’s autonomy over immigration. In fact, PH supports such autonomy,” he said, however adding that the state government should not abuse its autonomous power.
“It is one thing about use of power; abuse of power is another thing,” Chong added.