According to a joint statement by two Miri Chinese school officials last Friday, the reason for Tan’s deportation from Sarawak could only be known to George Chan and Tan Seng Hin.
However, Tan does not know the reason for his deportation from Sarawak after having settled down in Miri with his family for 23 years. This is why he had repeatedly asked for the reason from the Sarawak state government. George Chan is the only person in the world who knows the reason for Tan’s deportation as the person who initiated the action against Tan.
In the circumstances, George Chan should publicly substantiate his allegation that Tan had been banned from Sarawak because of his “extreme actions” while staying in Miri.
Yesterday, relying on the information emanating from George Chan, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Zainal Abidin Zin told Parliament that Tan Seng Hin, as contractor and Miri Hainan Association secretary, was involved in “extreme actions” resulting in his deportation and ban from Sarawak, but he was unable to give even a single instance of such “extreme actions”.
The time has come for George Chan to list out all the “extreme actions” of Tan while staying in Miri to justify the Sarawak state government’s human rights violation and breach of the rule of law to break up Tan’s family or the people of Sarawak and Malaysia must conclude that Chan is painfully aware that the reason for the action against Tan is too personal and petty and cannot stand public scrutiny.
On Saturday, I had given Chan 48 hours to reconsider his unfair action and charges against Tan and to revoke the ban so as to allow Tan to re-enter Sarawak to be reunited with his family, failing which follow-up actions to launch a national and international campaign against the Sarawak state government’s human rights violation and breach of the rule of law would proceed.
The 48-hour notice has expired. If Chan refuses to revoke Tan’s ban or to give good reason for the Sarawak state government action, details of the national and international campaign against the Sarawak state government’s human rights violation, breach of the rule of law and the forcible break up of Tan’s family would be announced tomorow.
(10/4/2001)