Correct for authorities to stop Xenophon’
Borneo Posted on February 19, 2013, Tuesday
KUCHING: Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said it was correct for the authorities to deny Australian Senator Nick Xenophon entry into the country on Saturday as outsiders should mind their own business, especially in politics.
“Even we do not interfere in the politics of Australia when we go there,” the chief minister told reporters after attending the Malaysian Chinese Muslims Association (Macma) Chinese New Year open house here Sunday.
Xenophon, 54, landed at Kuala Lumpur’s LCCT on Saturday morning but was denied entry. He boarded a flight back to Australia later that night.
The independent senator, known for his long-standing and active campaigns against the palm oil industry, was due to hold meetings with several politicians, including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as the country gears up for the 13th general election.
It was reported in several newspapers that Xenophon was denied entry as he had been blacklisted by the Immigration Department.
Immigration director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad was quoted to have said that Xenophon was listed as a “prohibited immigrant” and had not been “detained” as claimed by the senator.
He explained that prohibited immigrants refer to individuals whose presence was considered a danger to the society.
Alias also said Xenophon was allowed to move freely within the airport, and was not detained in a cell as claimed by the Australian press. He was also provided with lunch.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said Xenophon’s lawmaker status did not mean he was immune to Malaysia’s immigration laws.
He was quoted in yesterday’s news report to have said that Xenophon had made several statements in the past which tarnished the country’s image.
“He is widely known as an active campaigner against Malaysian palm oil besides his presence as a foreign observer for the opposition during Bersih 3.0,” he said, adding the issue was now bound to be politicised since polls was just around the corner.
Instead of poking his nose into the political wrangling of Malaysia, the electorate at home would be better served if he focused on issues such as holding the reckless Gillard government to account for the economy, industrial relations, defence and the welfare of veterans.
Good on the Malaysians for sending him packing.
John George, Cherrybrook, NSW
WHAT a strange set of values and standards: our self-righteous elites get all antsy about Australian politician Nick Xenophon being kicked out of Malaysia but these same high-minded, finger-wagging elites, led by former immigration minister Chris Bowen, thought nothing of dragging their feet for several months with respect to granting a visa to Dutch politician Geert Wilders, a process that normally takes just three or four days for Dutch citizens.
At the same time, the spokesman for the British branch of the Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir, Taji Mustafa, who has condoned the killing of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan and called for the military destruction of Israel, gets a rails run with his visa application.
Jim Ball, Narrabeen, NSW
I AM appalled to know we are sending politicians to meddle in the politics of another country in our region and well understand why Nick Xenophon was thrown out of Malaysia.
We have had Kevin Rudd hectoring China, the Indonesia cattle fiasco, the East Timor and Malaysia boatpeople embarrassments and now this.
Malaysia has a growth rate of 5 per cent and unemployment rate of 3 per cent, so perhaps their representatives should come down here and tell us how to run our economy.
John Mather, Mosman, NSW
YOUR editorial accurately sums up Nick Xenophon's worth (18/2). As an ex-serviceman living on a decaying pension that both main political parties promised to fix and then didn't, I shall not forget Xenophon's hypocrisy in supporting servicemen's needs when he was seeking election and then using his casting vote in the Senate that disallowed the redress of armed service pension problems. At least the Malaysians can recognise political ratbags when they see them.
J. J. Goold, Mudgeeraba, Qld
A QUICK note to Nick Xenophon: Malaysia has been independent since 1957. If you feel the need to take up the white man's burden, there are plenty of issues in this country that might benefit from your expert attention.
Lawrence Gribben, Carseldine, Qld
NICK Xenophon's behaviour would have Australians labelled arrogant and blind to the log in their eyes at home. The last federal election was not one of our finest moments as thousands of votes were tossed aside to satisfy the power lust of independents. And we have three leading politicians under a legal microscope.
Today we have a Labor Party that has given up on our borders, and is in the process of destroying industry, investment, productivity and free speech. Xenophon should be alert to the threat to democracy at home.
Maggie Ward, Goombungee, Qld
MALAYSIA is a sovereign nation which is a joy for Westerners to visit and live in. It has every right to determine who it allows to enter.
Last year, immigration minister Chris Bowen described Geert Wilders as "a fringe commentator from the other side of the world" before issuing a visa to the Dutch politician, who must be on an Australian alert list.
Evidently Malaysia has a similar list that excludes fringe commentators it perceives wish to interfere in domestic politics.
Chris Watson, Carlton River, Tas
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