You can take your love elsewhere – this is the message MCA and Umno has for former US ambassador to Malaysia John Malott who started the petition to the White House for the US to condemn the Anwar Ibrahim verdict.

Malott, a personal friend to Anwar, said he started the petition because he cared deeply for Malaysia and Malaysians should enjoy the same democratic rights as Americans.

But MCA’s Institute of Strategic Analysis & Policy Research (Insap) deputy chairperson Lua Choon Han said as a former diplomatic officer, Malott should remain neutral.

Although American have the right to petition the government, the ex-envoy should know that foreign countries should butt out of another country’s domestic affairs or its judiciary, he said

“We also expect the diplomatic corp – be they currently being posted to Malaysia, or abroad or have retired should likewise maintain a neutral stance,” he said in a statement.

Lua (left) said instead of pressuring the Malaysian government on an internal matter, the US should concentrate on fighting militant group Islamic State.

“That is where the main priority should be.”

He also urged all foreign countries expressing dismay over the Anwar verdict to “not be misled by his emotional rhetoric of democratic freedoms”.

PKR and Anwar’s international campaign to lobby for his release is only a bid to smear Malaysia and bring disrepute to the country.

“(It is) unethical and un-Malaysian and could even cause a decrease in foreign direct investments. We would have expected PKR to be loyal to Malaysia and not otherwise,” Lua said.

No Malaysian should support this

Echoing him, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin ( right ) said any interference to Malaysia’s judiciary is “unacceptable”.

“We hope no Malaysian urges any foreign government to pressure Malaysia on this,” he said in a statement.

Anwar’s supporters were free to gather outside of the Sungai Buloh prison and the Palace of Justice and can voice their dissent at the ballot box either as opponents, he said.

"Never ever seek foreign intervention and breach our country’s dignity, freedom and sovereignty."

 
Post by Khairy Jamaluddin .

About 40,000 people have supported Malott’s petition , which can be signed by both Americans and non-Americans.

Critics condemn it as an affront to Malaysia’s sovereignty, but Malott rubbished this by saying it is a petition by Americans to their president.

“But in any event, if the Malaysian government thinks that this is interference in their sovereignty, so be it. Human rights are universal,” Malott said.

In response to Malott’s petition, another petition was set up to urge the US to stay out of Malaysia’s affairs. About 3,500 people have signed this petition.  

Anwar was on Feb 10 sentenced to five years in jail for sodomising his aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.