| Anwar didn't apply for special permission, says embassy Posted: 20 Jan 2014 10:16 PM PST Finally, here comes the answer why Anwar was booted from Japan on Sunday. Yesterday, Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said Japan did not permit him entry because the Opposition Leader was 'undesirable'. (And this morning, about 30 PKR members staged a demo at the Japanese Embassy, not knowing that the embassy has issued an explanation to the media. Fools!) However, the actual explanation came from the Japanese Embassy. Read: KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim requires "special permission" to visit Japan due to his previous imprisonment in Malaysia, the Japanese embassy here said today. An embassy official told The Malay Mail Online that under Japan's laws, any individual who has had a prior conviction in Japan or any other country, and has been imprisoned for a year or more "shall be denied permission to land."
"Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was allowed to enter Japan on two previous occasions, which is April 2011 and June 2012. This was because he had applied for special permission.
"This time, however, he did not do apply for special permission and was denied entry," said the official.
Anwar, who is Malaysia's opposition leader, was previously convicted for corruption and sodomy in 1999. Although the latter conviction was overturned, the former was upheld following appeal.
The official added that Anwar was informed of this by immigration officials the moment he landed at Narita international airport.
"This is the Japan government's understanding, in accordance with Japan's immigration control laws," she said.
Wisma Putra has denied any involvement in Anwar's inability to enter Tokyo, but suggested that Japanese authorities may have blocked the leader's entry after finding him "undesirable".
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, when denying claims of Putrajaya's involvement, told a press conference yesterday that it was "unthinkable" to blame the government for the episode.
"Every nation has a sovereign right to deny a person entry into the country if the immigration authorities deemed the person undesirable.
"In such a case, there is no obligation to explain why they (immigration authorities) are exercising this right," he was quoted as saying by The Star Online.
According to the news portal, Anifah said the Japanese authorities had invoked Article 5 of its Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act to stop Anwar from entering Japan.
Anifah also denied submitting any "report" on Anwar to Japan to hinder the politician's entry.
Anwar previously claimed that Japanese officials had cited a "latest report", believed to be in 2013, as reason to deny his entry into Tokyo.
The Permatang Pauh MP was denied entry into Tokyo on Sunday and told to take the first flight home or face deportation, supposedly over the unknown "report" on the leader.
I think it was very, very clear. No need for the opposition to politicise it any further. PKR demo outside the Japanese Embassy in Kuala LumpurAnd to DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang who asked Wisma Putra to demand an apology from the Japanese government, he better do it himself. Malaysia and Japan are buddies and there is no reason for Tokyo to trade that good relation for a politician like Anwar or even Kit Siang.  |
| The Japs find Anwar 'undesirable' Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:28 AM PST Wisma Putra today denied any 'foul play' in Anwar Ibrahim's denied entry into Japan on the weekend, and that the government has had no role in influencing Tokyo to bar him. The Opposition Leader and his Pakatan Rakyat team were fast to point fingers at Putrajaya as being the culprit behind the 'shameful incident', accusing Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak as playing dirty to wipe him out politically and diplomatically. What nonsense! Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said according to the Japanese authorities, Anwar was denied entry as they found him 'undesirable'. KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was denied entry to Japan as he was deemed 'undesirable' by immigration authorities there said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman on Monday. "Every nation has a sovereign right to deny a person entry into the country if the immigration authorities deemed the person undesirable
"In such a case, there is no obligation to explain why they (immigration authorities) are exercising this right," he told reporters this at a press conference here.
He denied Anwar's claims that Wisma Putra was behind the incident, saying that the Japanese authorities had invoked Article 5 of its Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act to bar Anwar entry into Japan.
"It is unthinkable that Wisma Putra or I could have such influence over another sovereign country.
"We have nothing to do with it," he said.
He also denied Anwar's claims that he may have been barred from entering Japan due to a 2013 report on him from Wisma Putra.
"I have never submitted any reports (on Anwar) to Japan,"
"Why would we need to submit any report to stop from him from travelling to other countries when his (Anwar's) conviction is public knowledge," he added.
Anifah said that Wisma Putra had contacted the Japanese Embassy in Tokyo to seek clarification over the incident as it involved a Malaysian citizen and not because it was Anwar.
"It doesn't matter if the person was from the government or opposition or whatever party the person belongs to.
"For us, Anwar is a Malaysian citizen," he added.
He added there was no necessity for Wisma Putra to pursue the matter.
He explained that was also the case when Malaysian immigration denied entry to controversial Autralian senator Nick Xenopon last year.
Meanwhile, the Japanese embassy in Malaysia is waiting for a report from Tokyo about why Anwar was turned away.
Embassy spokesperson Tomoko Nagai said Monday that the embassy is unable to comment on the matter as no conclusive report was received from Tokyo.
Anwar was barred from entering Japan on Sunday, and was told to board the first flight back or face deportation.
It was reported that he was denied entry to the country because of his conviction in 1999.
Anwar, however, is claiming that he entered Japan without any problem thrice before and it did not make sense for his entry to be denied now.
It is understood that the Japanese government does not allow anyone with previous criminal convictions to enter the country without clearance by the Law Ministry, which could be the reason Anwar was barred.
Anwar said he went to Tokyo upon the invitation of Nippon Foundation chairman Yohei Sasakawa to present a paper on Muslim Democrats.
'Undesirable'? Yucks! I hate that word, honestly!  |
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