Guy slams Malaysian photographer who took pictures in Fukushima red zone for doing 'cheap, publicity stunt'

Keow Wee Long, a Malaysian photographer, recently went viral after he sneaked into the Fukushima exclusion zone and took some never-before-seen pictures -- but not everyone is impressed.

One guy in particular, questioned if it was a "publicity stunt, a last-ditch effort to get your 10 seconds of Internet fame".

The post by Pierce on desuwaitsusall.wordpress.com has gone viral. 

The guy claims that the photographer deleted his comment after it "contained a truth that you could not bear to come to terms with".

He wrote:

"You claim in your description of the photo album that you want to 'spread the awareness of the danger in [sic] using nuclear energy.' Yet, now that your project has gained some traction, all I see are posts about how many interviews you’re doing, how successful you’ve become, and a complete and utter refusal to listen to a single dissenting opinion on the repercussions of your actions.

"Mr. Loong, I have to ask: Are you sure this wasn’t just some publicity stunt, a last-ditch effort to get your 10 seconds of Internet fame? Because from where I’m standing, that’s exactly what it was: A cheap, disrespectful publicity stunt that oozes desperation in both its vision and execution."

He cites a Redditor who had the same sentiments: 

"After reading the whole post on Facebook, it seems to me he just wants people to know how cool he is for trespassing in a dangerous area. Rather than making an effort to capture the atmosphere or show how sad it is that all these people lost their homes and livelihoods, he just makes his friend take pictures of him standing around in empty shops wearing a gas mask.”

One Fukushima resident said:

“Not only is what he did illegal, but extremely disrespectful to victims of the disaster who had no choice but to leave their homes. Additionally, his post is full of misinformation about the disaster, radiation, and much more, specifically aimed at promoting the sensationalist image of Fukushima, rather than the truth.”

“Please help us promote the positives of our beautiful prefecture, rather than damaging its image further for posterity and internet fame.”

Pierce continued: 

"I want to open your eyes to the residents of this community that you have so blatantly shown disrespect for. I want to give them a voice, because they have been used, violated, and trampled on for your brief moment in the spotlight. I want to give you feedback on your work, because that is what artists require in order to thrive. If you are not willing to listen, then I am not willing to consider you an artist. You have no artistic vision or message for the world–for posterity. You want the power that comes with being famous, but for you, the people whose lives you exploit en route to such fame couldn’t matter less. Art couldn’t matter less."

See the post in full here.