Hafiz Hamid, 34, says he has entered Sarawak more than 10 times before, but found he was on the banned list now.
GEORGE TOWN: A businessman from Subang Jaya has questioned why he was barred from entering Sarawak last week, when he arrived for a six-day trip to celebrate the festival of Gawai with three other friends, despite having visited Sarawak many other times before.
Mohamad Hafiz Abd Hamid said he was denied entry on May 29 when he arrived in Sibu, his first time there. His three other friends had no problem, but he was told he was on a “suspect list”.
An Immigration notice to Hafiz says he is on a ‘suspect list’, but he denies being involved in any criminal offence.
Hafiz said he had entered Sarawak through Kuching airport more than 10 times in the past three years.
“I only found out that I was blacklisted from entering Sarawak when I arrived in Sibu. The immigration officer said I should write an appeal letter to the Sarawak Chief Minister’s office before coming to the state again.
He was shown an Immigration notice which read: “Tersenarai di dalam senarai syak kod BOI…tolak semua kemudahan Imigresen” (Listed in suspect list, refuse all immigration facilities).
“I love the people of Sarawak, never said anything bad about them. I am a regular joe. I am not involved in politics or been involved in any crime,” Hafiz told FMT.
Hafiz, who runs an online mobile phone business, said Immigration staff had treated him well. “I guess it’s just orders from their leaders.” Security officers escorted him to his plane, but he alleged that flight attendants “held my passport, treated me like a fugitive and did not say a word until we arrived in KLIA”.
FMT has contacted Sarawak Immigration director Ken Leben for comment and is awaiting his reply. – FMT
