Kumpulan 50 wakil rakyat itu menghantar satu surat menuntut agar tuduhan liwat kali kedua terhadap Ketua Umum Pakatan Rakyat itu digugurkan.
Pengerusi jawatankuasa kecil bagi hal ehwal luar Parlimen Australia,
Surat itu berbunyi, “adalah perlu untuk dimaklumkan kepada kerajaan Malaysia bahawa pada pandangan kami sanjungan global terhadap Malaysia akan terjejas dengan tuduhan-tuduhan ke atas Anwar ini.”
Malah menurut surat itu, “ramai pemerhati mesra Malaysia mendapati sukar untuk mempercayai seorang pemimpin pembangkang utama (seperti Anwar) dikenakan tuduhan liwat buat kali kedua, sejurus selepas partinya memperoleh kejayaan besar dalam pilihan raya kebangsaan.”
Laporan ABC Online menyebut, kebanyakan yang menandatangani surat itu adalah anggota Parti Buruh termasuk setiausaha parlimen Gary Gray dan
Timbalan Speaker Dewan Perwakilan, Anna Burke juga menandatangani surat itu.
Di pihak Parti Liberal yang menurunkan tandatangan ialah jurucakap alam sekitar
SURAT DARI MP AUSTRALIA
High Commissioner for Malaysia
Malaysian High Commission
7 Perth Ave
Yarralumla ACT 2600
11/02/2010
Dear High Commissioner,
We write to you with regards to the trial of Anwar Ibrahim which is currently taking place in Kuala Lumpur.
We members of the Australian parliament believe Malaysia is an important country, an emerging power in our region, and a friend of Australia. However the trial of Anwar Ibrahim raises serious concerns for us.
While Australia and many other countries no longer have laws against sodomy we respect the right of Malaysia to determine what should be its laws relating to personal morality.
Of more serious concern however is the fact that this trial is taking place at all, particularly given the testimony of Munawar A. Anees in the Wall Street Journal (see attached). We understand that the US State Department has urged Malaysian authorities to resolve this matter in a manner that builds confidence in the impartial rule of law in Malaysia, and we agree with this sentiment. Many friendly observers of Malaysia find it difficult to believe that a leading opposition voice could be charged with sodomy a second time, and so soon after his party made major gains in national elections. It should be made known to the Malaysian Government, that in our opinion, global esteem for Malaysia will be affected by these charges against Mr Anwar. We hope that Malaysia’s authorities will not pursue these charges.
Signed
Members of the Australian Parliament
Dick Adams MP
Senator Sue Boyce
Senator Bob Brown
Senator Carol Brown
Anna Burke MP
Darren Cheeseman MP
Michael Danby MP
The Hon Bob Debus MP
Mark Dreyfus MP
The Hon Laurie Ferguson
Jenny George MP
Steve Georganas MP
The Hon Gary Gray MP
Sharon Grierson MP
Damian Hale MP
Jill Hall MP
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young
The Hon David Hawker MP
The Hon Greg Hunt MP
Senator Steven Hutchins
Julia Irwin MP
The Hon Duncan Kerr MP
Catherine King MP
Andrew Laming MP
The Hon Peter Lindsay MP
Kirsten Livermore MP
Senator Scott Ludlam
Senator Anne McEwen
Daryl Melham MP
Senator Claire Moore
Belinda Neal MP
Shayne Neumann MP
Rob Oakeshott MP
Julie Owens MP
Melissa Parke MP
Graham Perrett MP
Senator Louise Pratt
Kerry Rea MP
Bernie Ripoll MP
Janelle Saffin MP
Sid Sidebottom MP
Senator Rachel Siewert
The Hon Peter Slipper MP
Mike Symon MP
Chris Trevor MP
The Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP
The Hon Dana Vale MP
Maria Vamvakinou MP
Mal Washer MP
Senator Nick Xenophon
Tony Zappia MP
