Hong Kong  - Macau Monday defended its decision to refuse entry to a group of pro-democracy activists from Hong Kong, saying it ejected them to safeguard public order under an internal security law.

Five people, including legislators Leung Kwok-hung and Lee Cheuk- yan, were turned back when they arrived Sunday morning as part of a delegation of 33 pro-democracy activists.

They were stopped by immigration officers after arriving by ferry, questioned and sent back to Hong Kong in what appeared to be enforcement of a tough new national security law passed in February.

There was no immediate explanation for the expulsions from the government of the former Portuguese colony, but in a statement Monday Macau's Public Security Police Forces confirmed they were refused entry "in accordance with the internal security law."

"With a view to safeguarding Macau's social stability and public order, the Public Security Police Forces ... may turn down the entry requests by non-Macau residents who fail to meet the entry criteria," the statement said.

The statement appeared to confirm suspicions that Macau is using the controversial new security law to refuse entry to people seen as anti-China.

In recent weeks, several legislators, academics and a journalist have been refused entry to Macau, a gambling resort 45 minutes west of Hong Kong by ferry.

The travel restrictions have provoked fears that Macau, which like Hong Kong was a colony before reverting to Chinese rule in the 1990s, is taking a much harder line on people seen as potential dissidents by China.

Macau, a Portuguese colony for 450 years before returning to Chinese rule in 1999, has a reputation for being less enthusiastic than Hong Kong in maintaining press and personal freedoms.

Both Hong Kong and Macau have independent mini-constitutions, guaranteeing political freedoms and judicial independence under what are called "one country, two systems" arrangements with China.

Attempts to bring in national security laws in Hong Kong were abandoned after heavy opposition and protests that saw 500,000 people take to the streets. (dpa)