Saudis get Internet hotline to the king

People will be able to inform the king about any shortcomings in the services offered by government agencies.

Afp May 02, 2014

Saudi citizens can now petition 90-year-old King Abdullah directly and lodge complaints through an Internet site set up at the initiative of the monarch himself. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

RIYADH: Saudi citizens can now petition 90-year-old King Abdullah directly and lodge complaints through an Internet site set up at the initiative of the monarch himself.

The portal tawasol.royalcourt.gov.sa, named after the Arabic word for communication, was launched on an experimental basis on Wednesday.

All messages are to be forwarded to the king.

"People will be able to inform the king about any shortcomings in the services offered by government agencies, and to take suitable action for the benefit of all citizens," the website says.

More and more Saudis in the ultra-conservative Muslim state are turning to social networking sites to demand improved living conditions.

However, the authorities, who block access to politically sensitive or pornographic websites, made several arrests in March for tweets deemed offensive to the king.

Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy where protests are banned.

COMMENTS (2)

Nawab | 9 years ago | Reply

Like it or not, Saudi Arabia is managing its affairs far better than most countries. Nigeria, another oil exporting nation, hasn't been able to deliver government services at the same level as Saudis. In fact, there are over 600-1,000 oil spills every year in Nigeria and the lack of revenue sharing has meant that ethnic unrest is all too common. So, bravo to the Saudi King!

water bottle | 9 years ago | Reply "Saudi citizens can now petition 90-year-old King Abdullah directly and lodge complaints through an Internet site set up at the initiative of the monarch himself." Great initiative. Now, can the Saudi citizens petition about this criminal in the guise of a Muslim to get lost? Can the Saudis petition to dismantle the Saudi Royalty, which is an abomination in the name of Muslims. The Saudi Royals who represent everything unIslamic, let alone inhuman (I have purposely chosen this degree to indicate that Muslims are generally inferior to humans in all indices unlike the superiority claimed by the failed state of Pakistan), in this world belong in a dungeon with no water and food. These people are straight away criminals. Worse than Musharraf or Qadri. I have said too much. Nawaz will be miffed with me.

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