KUCHING, March 31 — Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem today denied Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was let into the state to avoid possible fallout, saying the opposition leader was no longer a force to be reckoned with.

“They (Pakatan Rakyat) said we allowed Anwar into the state because if we don’t there would be an international repercussion. They said we (BN) are afraid of Anwar. In fact, we let him in because we are not afraid of him,” he said.

Adenan pointed out that despite their de facto leader’s presence, the PKR candidate nearly lost his deposit during Sunday’s Balingian by-election.

“This goes to show how much influence, or no influence, Anwar has in Balingian,” Adenan said.

Anwar arrived in Sarawak on March 25 to campaign for PKR during the state seat poll.

Before that, however, three Pakatan Rakyat leaders — PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli and Batu MP Tian Chua — were barred from entry.

Asked why the other three PR leaders were denied entry, Adenan said he could not give details, saying that the list of people barred from entering the state was under the prerogative of the state secretary.

He added that the state government kept a “Persona Non Grata” list that is regularly reviewed.