Guan Eng accuses MACC of ‘lying’ after commission denied barring him Sabah entry

DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng speaks during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur August 28, 2020. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has slammed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today, accusing it of lying about his barred entry into Sabah.

Lim also said the MACC has violated the immigration powers of the Sabah government, after caretaker chief minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal confirmed to him that he was stopped from entering the state due to MACC’s watchlist.

“This proves that MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki was lying when he denied the commission had imposed restrictions on me entering Sabah,” Lim said in a statement.

The Bagan MP said he was issued a social visit pass at 11.54pm on Tuesday night, and was about to enter a vehicle to leave the airport when he was called back into the Kota Kinabalu Airport Immigration Office.

“I was told that my entry into Sabah was ‘blocked’ by the MACC. After pressing the issue with them for some time by saying that only the Sabah chief minister and not the MACC can block me from entering Sabah, the Immigration officers let me leave after 40 minutes.

“Now that Shafie had confirmed that he did not bar me from entering Sabah, but was informed by the Sabah Immigration Department director that the order was given by the MACC, Azam Baki should come clean and tell the truth,” he said.

Lim accused MACC of practicing double standards, saying the incident has raised serious doubts about its impartiality, independence, integrity and professionalism

On Tuesday night, Lim had flown into Sabah but was told by Immigration officers that he was not allowed to enter. He was allowed to leave the airport once but before he could leave, was told to re-enter the airport.

After holding him for about 50 minutes, he was eventually allowed to leave the airport.

However, MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki told Malay Mail the commission had nothing to do with the delay.

Last month, Lim pleaded not guilty after he was charged with allegedly seeking a bribe to help a company be appointed for the infrastructure works including the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.

In two other separate cases, he also claimed trial to a graft charge involving RM3.3 million over the multi-billion ringgit undersea tunnel project, and a separate graft charge involving businesswoman Phang Li Koon.

 

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