Utusan tells Anwar to learn from Japanese porn actress
Umno mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia today told opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to take a leaf out of the book of Japanese porn actress Maria Ozawa and not make a fuss after being denied entry into Japan.
Columnist Awang Selamat, the pseudonym for the paper's collective editorial voice, said Anwar should just accept the facts when he was barred from entering Japan recently.
"In 2009, Ozawa was barred from entering Indonesia after various Muslim non-government organisations protested against it," Awang said.
"However, Ozawa did not take offence nor did she create a big fuss over being stopped from entering Indonesia."
Awang took a swipe at Anwar by saying Ozawa understood that she was the cause of the problem.
"Ozawa did not blame the Indonesian authorities or any other party because she understood the issues surrounding her."
Awang expressed admiration at Ozawa's attitude, although she had been labelled immoral because of her career.
"But even a pornographic actress can learn to accept facts and live with them."
The daily also slammed Anwar for blaming Putrajaya without investigating why he had been barred from entering Japan.
"It appears that Anwar is still the same, blaming everyone else for his problems.
"Anwar needs to be a responsible global citizen. If he wishes to enter another country, heed the rules for ex-convicts first as is practised in Japan."
On January 19, Anwar arrived at Narita International Airport in Tokyo but was barred from entering by Japanese immigration authorities.
Anwar was not only denied entry into the Land of the Rising Sun but was also told to take the first available flight back to Malaysia or face being deported.
In a statement, Anwar demanded an explanation from the Foreign Ministry and questioned their role in causing him to be barred from entering Japan.
Putrajaya denied any involvement in the incident and said Anwar's accusations were baseless.
The Japanese embassy in Kuala Lumpur later confirmed that Anwar needed special clearance to visit Japan as he was a former convict.
Embassy spokesman Tomoko Nagai said Anwar's previous visits to Japan in 2011 and 2012 had been via special clearances. His latest visit did not undergo the same process. – January 26, 2014.
