I was not informed: Anwar
Published on: Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Kuala Lumpur: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Tuesday he was not informed of the need for "special permission" to visit Japan, after its embassy said this was why the opposition leaders was prevented from entering the country last week.Anwar added that his staff was also not informed of this requirement when they contacted the embassy here to find out whether he needed to apply for a travel visa, just as they did for his previous visits to Japan."Our office inquired about what was needed in order for me to travel to Japan. I was only told I need not apply for a visa, nothing else," Anwar said.
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"Previously I only applied for visas, and I had no problems at all. I was there last year," he added, saying he was "shocked" when he was denied entry to the country upon landing at Narita international airport.PKR Communications Director Fahmi Fadzil confirmed that the party had asked both the Japanese embassy in Kuala Lumpur as well as the Japanese Foreign Ministry about requirements for the PKR de facto leader to visit the country."We were told that because of a change in policy in July 2013, Malaysians need not apply for a visa when visiting Japan. We made inquiries prior to Anwar flying there."I find it curious that a 'special permission' is now required," Fahmi said.
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The Japanese embassy said that Anwar must obtain "special permission" to visit Japan due to his previous imprisonment in Malaysia.An embassy official told The Malay Mail Online that under Japan's laws, any individual with a prior conviction in Japan or any other country, and has been imprisoned for a year or more "shall be denied permission to land."
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"Anwar 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," an embassy official said."This time, however, he did not apply for special permission and was denied entry."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.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.Meanwhile, PKR members demanded a public apology from the Japanese government for the episode.They handed over a memorandum to the Japanese Embassy demanding for clarification and an immediate apology over the regretful incident."We PKR members strongly protest the deportation of the opposition leader who is also a senior member of Malaysian parliament," Shamsul Iskandar Amin said after handing over the memorandum.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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