The Malaysian Insight

THE Sarawak government and state Immigration Department must justify denying entry and treatment to a person in medical distress, electoral reform expert Dr Wong Chin Huat said.

The member of Putrajaya’s Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) said he supported Sarawak and Sabah’s autonomy over immigration, but such power must be exercised transparently, rationally and in good faith.

Wong, who is now in Kuching General Hospital and is due to fly back to Kuala Lumpur tonight, was barred from entering the state yesterday.

He suffered high-blood pressure and headaches while being held by the state Immigration Department at Kuching Airport, and said he was not given medical attention until after the intervention of federal ministers.

“My request to be examined and treated by a doctor was ignored by Sarawak Immigration Department officers, who willfully ignored the risk of my health to board (me on) a 110-minute flight in hypertension,” he said in a statement. 

He said he had asked since 7.15pm to see a doctor, but was ignored.

Wong said a doctor came to treat him at the airport at only 9.45pm, after Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad intervened. But the doctor’s request for Wong to be admitted was denied by Immigration officers.

“My hospitalisation was made possible only through the timely intervention of (Works) Minister Baru Bian,” Wong said. 

Baru had arranged for a special pass to enter the state and Wong was admitted at 11.30pm.

Wong, who is also Bersih 2.0’s resource person and chairman of civil society group ENGAGE, said the state Immigration Department must explain why it insisted on denying entry and treatment to persons who are not medically fit to fly.

He also questioned why Sarawak had barred him entry this time, when he had been allowed into the state in August for programmes under the ERC.

Wong also rejected claims by the state Immigration Department that he had refused to go to hospital and stayed at the airport overnight while a doctor was sent for.

“These are utter lies to paint the victim of their negligence and inhuman treatment as self-inflicting his medical emergency. 

“First, the medical assistant (there was no medical officer in the airport then) who checked my blood pressure did not offer me medicine, as I requested to see a doctor. I later found my own medication and took a pill of 5mg amlodipine (which I had taken in the morning) but it was effective to bring down my blood pressure.

“Second, an Immigration officer named Amirrul warned me between 9pm and 10pm that if the doctor determined that I was not fit to fly, I would be placed in a room in the Immigration Department for the night,” he said. 

“To claim that I was offered but refused ‘a one-day pass’ when I had been seeking medical treatment in vain for more than two agonising hours since 7.20pm is a vicious lie devoid of any honour.” 

Wong told The Malaysian Insight that his condition is better and recovering in hospital as officers guard his room before his flight tonight.

Bersih, meanwhile, said the Sarawak government should review its ban list and lift all bans on politicians and social activists.

“While the Immigration Act grants Sarawak and Sabah the right to deny entry to non-residents, it was never intended to restrict legitimate political activities nor curb representatives of the federal government from carrying out their duties.”

Bersih added that failure to remove bans on politicians and social activists was a violation of the intent of the act and the Malaysia Agreement.

“Not doing so would mean an abuse of state power for narrow political gains,” the elections reforms group said. – November 15, 2019.