PKR is demanding the Malaysian government withdraw the “report” that led to Anwar Ibrahim being barred from entering Japan yesterday, accusing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s regime of “underhanded diplomatic pressure”.

Its human rights and legal bureau head Latheefa Koya ( right ) said “serious questions” were raised as Japanese authorities, in prohibiting Anwar’s entry, had claimed to have received a “recent report” pertaining to the opposition leader.

“We demand a full explanation from Wisma Putra (Foreign Ministry) as to the reason given by the Japanese authority where it was claimed that a recent report from the Malaysian government was the basis for not allowing Anwar from entering.

“We therefore call the prime minister to rectify the situation by immediately withdrawing this unwarranted report sent to the Japanese government and giving full travel clearance to Anwar,” she said in a statement today.

Latheefa, a lawyer, deemed the incident “the latest series of attacks and harassment” against the PKR de facto leader, who she reminded is facing the possibility of conviction following the government’s appeal of his Sodomy II acquittal.

This is not the first time the government resorted to “underhanded diplomatic pressure to protect their interests”, she said, citing alleged “political pressure” that prevented Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand ( left ) from coming to Malaysia to perform a second autopsy upon brutality victim C Sugumar last year.

'Black hand' involved

Anwar, on his Facebook page yesterday, complained that immigration officials at the Narita Airport had instructed him to take "the first flight back home or face deportation", initially telling him this was due to his 1999 sodomy conviction.

However, when pointed out that he had been allowed entry into the country numerous times since, in 2006, 2009 and 2012, the Japanese officers then claimed the action was due to a “ latest report , possibly made in 2013".

Also calling for a reversal to Anwar’s denial of entry, DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh said there appeared to be a “black hand” at work behind the matter.

“In any event, a conviction in 1999 would, in law, amount to a spent conviction which is not taken into account in a court of law. Perhaps, the authorities in Japan may want to know this aspect of the law,” the Bukit Gelugor MP said in a statement.

“In my view, the denial of the entry is ill-advised and requires reversal and the earlier it is done, the better.”

Meanwhile, Selangor MB Abdul Khalib Ibrahim ( left in photo ) said Japan’s action, possibly at “orders issued by the Malaysian government”, was an insult to Anwar in his status as the nation’s opposition leader.

“What is more regrettable is the fact that the Selangor government has good economic and diplomatic relations with Japan, as Japanese investors make up the largest number of foreign investors in Selangor, while Anwar Ibrahim is the Selangor economic adviser,” he said.