KUCHING: The Sarawak government has decided to bar athletes from Israel from participating in the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships to be held here from July 29 to Aug 4.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the decision was in line with the national policy to bar the athletes.

“This decision (to bar) athletes from Israel is a national policy, and the state government has to follow because we don’t want to become a laughing stock by allowing them when the national policy wants to bar them,” he said yesterday, adding the decision was discussed during Thursday’s Sarawak cabinet meeting.

Abdul Karim pointed out that the Sarawak government has to abide by the policy because the event was applied for through the Paralympic Council of Malaysia.

In view of this, he explained the issue did not involve Sarawak exercising its immigration autonomy as posted on social media.

“This is nothing to do with immigration autonomy, but a national policy that we must follow,” he said.