Kota Kinabalu: Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Women's chief Datuk Redonah Bahanda (pic) has urged all parties to respect Sabah's immigration autonomy, including the State Government's decision to bar Bersih executive director Asraf Sharafi Mohammad Azhar from entering the State.
She said the decision was made in accordance with the Federal Constitution and the Immigration Act, taking into account security, public order and the interests of Sabah.
Redonah said Sabah's immigration autonomy is a right provided under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which empowers the State Government to determine the entry of individuals into Sabah, while stressing that decisions made in accordance with the law should be respected.
She also criticised a youth and student activist for allegedly making statements and social media posts that questioned Sabah's immigration rights, adding that freedom of speech should not be misused to insult, incite or make unfounded allegations against government institutions and the State leadership.
Redonah said the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech remain subject to the law, rejected allegations that she claimed sought to create a negative perception of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, and urged all parties to respect the institution of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri while practising a mature democracy based on facts, the law and respect for national institutions.
