Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — An official source at the Ministry of Interior slammed the malicious campaign being carried out against its Absher electronic services app.

Baseless claims were made that Absher was being misused as a tool to monitor its beneficiaries.

The ministry categorically rejected such attempts to politicize the use of any instruments of technology that entail the legitimate rights of users, the source said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

The source said the allegations against Absher are aimed at disrupting as many as 160 types of procedural services being provided by the app to Saudis and expatriates, especially women, the elderly and people with special needs.

“Absher represents an essential and direct means for them to take advantage of electronic government services at any time and from any place. Hence, the ministry expresses its strong condemnation of the systematic campaign aimed at questioning the purpose of this app, which is available on smart phones in order to facilitate and simplify the provision of services to its beneficiaries,” the statement said.

The ministry reiterated its keenness to protect the interest of beneficiaries of its services from all the damage caused by such misinformation campaign.