Credibility of petition to free Anwar displayed on White House website doubtful

The credibility of a petition to free opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim which was displayed on the White House website is doubtful following the issue of its withdrawal yesterday, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

He said the action taken by the White House website administrator to restore the petition after it was withdrawn yesterday proved the office of the United States President had a weak information technology system.

He said the excuse that the petition was rejected by the White House yesterday due to system error and to reappear online today by saying that it had met 100,000 supporters was doubtful and embarrassing to the country.

"Yesterday, they issued a statement that the petition to seek the interference of the White House in Anwar Ibrahim's case was rejected as there was fraud involved...but today they withdrew the statement and said there was no fraud involved and at the same time they said the petition met the required 100,000 signatures.

"For me, the statement is very strange and embarassing to the US government which is supposed to have the most sophiscated IT system in the world," he told reporters at Parliament lobby here Wednesday.

Yesterday, the petition to free Anwar from jail displayed via the platform 'We the People' on the White House website was removed by the administrator on the ground that it had violated regulations.

Ahmad Shabery said the mistake had completely destroyed the credibility of the petition.

He said Malaysians and the world community should also consider the petition as a tool to serve the vested interests of certain people, including the move to justify intervention of the United States in other countries.

The matter, he said was worrying as there were certain parties lobbying for their own interests.

The mistake of the United States has also attracted various reactions from Malaysians who posted their comments on the US Embassy's Facebook page.

Among them were Sharif Banafee Shaza Irinah who commented: "Mind ur own business..respect our country!" and Ben J Yeo: "Honestly. I do agree on no foreign powers meddling with our nations problems".

Also giving his comments was Hafiz Hilmi Md Rijani who said:"And i simply don't understand why the Opposition in Malaysia has to seek help from you guys. Stop acting like the World's Police. Do care about your dirty laundry first before helping others with their's."

Meanwhile, Barisan National Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad described the US action as having lost the confidence of the people and community of the world.

"I have completely lost confidence in whatever online moves by the White House as the fraud came not only from our side but with the intervention of those close to the US embassy," he said.