KUWAIT CITY, Aug 7: As expected, Speaker of Parliament Jassem Al-Kharafi once again adjourned the session on Tuesday due to lack of quorum because a majority of the lawmakers, both the opposition and pro-government, boycotted the session for various political stances.

A majority of lawmakers from both sides had earlier announced their plans to boycott the sessions of the 2009 Parliament. According to the opposition, the Parliament has lost its legitimacy because it was dissolved by HH the Amir following a popular uprising. The pro-government MPs want the Parliament to continue with its work for some time and not opt for dissolution after holding just one session as was speculated.

Adjourned
The Speaker told the audience this is the second time the Parliament session had to be adjourned due to lack of quorum. “I will not call for another session and I will send a letter to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to inform him about the situation. I will not call for a session until I know what decision has been taken by the Amir,” he said.

The speaker added he will explain to HH the Amir the political situation during a protocol meeting on Sunday. He stressed he will not call for another session until a decision is taken by HH the Amir.
He explained a decree of emergency cannot be issued unless there is a legislative break or the Parliament is dissolved. “As long as the Parliament functions such a decree cannot be issued,” he added. Also, the Parliament’s legislative round cannot end without the adoption of the annual budget, he added.
He said the Parliament has opted for a wait-and-see situation. It will continue to work with its committees and if there is no quorum there will be no committee meeting and no parliamentary sessions.

Session
The Speaker thanked members who attended the session and are committed to the constitutional procedures as well 13 other members who apologized from attending the sessions.

“We pray to God to protect Kuwait and its people. We look for the wisdom of the Amir and his commitment to the security and stability of this country,” he said.

When the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah was leaving the Parliament building he stopped for a moment and told reporters “We respect the viewpoints of those who attended the session and those who did not attend and we will work together in the interest of the country.”

Similar to last week’s session, the session today was attended by only four lawmakers including the Speaker of Parliament and 13 ministers including the Prime Minister.

Today’s session was attended by members of National Action Bloc — Abdullah Al-Roumi, Marzouq Al-Ghanem and Adel Al-Sarawi and four ministers, Defense Minister Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah, Public Works Minister Dr Fadhel Safar Ali Safar, Information Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abdullah and State Minister for Development and Planning and Parliamentary Affairs Dr Rola Dashti.

However, the prime minister and other ministers were present in the hall. They did not enter the session hall and left the Parliament building after the session was adjourned.

Agencies add:
Al-Kharafi said he will refer the issue to the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who is expected to dissolve parliament and call for fresh polls, the fifth since June 2006.

Opposition MPs boycotted parliament claiming it is illegitimate, while pro-government MPs are angry because the house will most likely be dissolved.

A date for dissolving the revived parliament remains unknown as the government is reportedly preparing to refer the electoral law to the constitutional court on suspicion that it breaches the constitution.
The move has been strongly rejected by the opposition, whose members threatened to stage street protests and boycott any future election if the government sent the law to court.

The opposition has demanded that parliament should be swiftly dissolved and fresh elections held.
State news agency KUNA last week quoted some lawmakers as saying that the government had encouraged some of them to skip the session so that the parliament can be dissolved.

The constitutional court’s decision to reinstate the old parliament angered Kuwaiti opposition politicians, who said the previous assembly had been tarnished by corruption allegations.

Political turmoil is not new to Kuwait, which has seen eight governments come and go in just six years. The infighting has held up legislation and investment, turning the oil-producing country into a laggard.