Rewcastle-Brown still barred from entering Sarawak
KUCHING: Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown remains barred from visiting Sarawak as the state government has not decided if her entry ban should be lifted.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said he has no intention of lifting the entry ban at the moment.
“She was in the ( ban) list since my predecessor’s time ... Pehin Sri Adenan’s time.
“Her name is still there in the list. But I haven’t decided whether I want to lift the ban or not,” he told reporters when met after officiating at the ‘ Sumbangsih Kuih Raya’ distribution ceremony at the old State Legislative Assembly ( DUN) Complex here yesterday.
He was asked to comment on whether the state government would lift Rewcastle- Brown’s entry ban following her arrival in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday.
Rewcastle-Brown, who is also the founder of Sarawak Report, was able to visit the capital after the new Pakatan Harapan ( PH) government took control of Putrajaya following the 14th general election and an earlier arrest warrant on her was dropped.
While in Kuala Lumpur, she had informed BFM radio that she was unsure of visiting Sarawak as she was not confident that her name had been lifted from the state Immigration Department’s blacklist.
The Sarawak-born RewcastleBrown, who has been fiercely critical of the government, has been on the state’s immigration blacklist since 2011.
She joins a long list of blacklisted individuals barred from entering
She was in the (ban) list since my predecessor’s time ... Pehin Sri Adenan’s time. Her name is still there in the list. But I haven’t decided whether I want to lift the ban or not.
Sarawak, among whom were Mohamad Sabu and Zuraida Kamaruddin, who had just been appointed as Defence Minister and Housing and Local Government Minister respectively.
On a related matter, Abang Johari declined to comment on the lack of representation from Sarawak in the new federal government cabinet line-up under the leadership of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“I don’t know...that one is up to PH. I don’t want to comment on this. They are the government now, so let them decide,” he replied.
Earlier, Abang Johari presented some ‘ kuih raya’ goodies to ten enforcement agencies as a token of appreciation for their sacrifice in keeping the state safe during the upcoming Gawai Dayak and Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities.
Also present were Abang Johari’s wife Datin Patinggi Dato Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang; Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing; Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah; and Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg