Sabah joins Sarawak to bar Rafizi from entering the state

By Eduad Bugang

Some of PKR members who were waiting for Rafizi at the terminal.

KOTA KINABALU: Hard-hitting MP Rafizi Ramli of Parti Keadilan Rakyat has been barred by immigration to enter Sabah this afternoon (April 23, 2016).

The outspoken parliamentarian who is also PKR's secretary-general was swiftly taken by immigration officers as soon as he arrived at the terminal of Kota Kinabalu International Airport at around 5pm.



He was brought to a room for about 45 minutes, according to those waiting outside, who had come to welcome him.

A popular Rafizi. Photo believed taken as soon as he arrived at the KKIA airport.

Sabah PKR members even brought a banner pre-emptively thanking the state government for "allowing" Rafizi to enter the autonomous state on the Borneo island.

Already banned from entering Sabah's neighbour Sarawak, Rafizi has been sloted to travel to several towns in Sabah until the end of this month.

The local organisers had hoped the open-all-scandals Rafizi would treat Sabahans to some of the most alluring scandals that have hit Malaysia - the on-going 1MDB fiasco, GST, the Tabung Haji scandal and perhaps bits of the several conspicuous murders implicating the powers be.

Rafizi who was ordered to fly out on the next available flight to West Malaysia was already on the way back to Kuala Lumpur when this article was being written.

Sabah PKR chairman Lajim Ukin who was at the airport was dismayed by the ban and described it as injustice done to Rafizi.