16/06/2022
76325 times read
16/06/2022
76325 times read
Objection to politician’s offensive remarks
KUWAIT CITY, June 16: A total of 30 MPs issued a joint statement, expressing their objection to the offending remarks of Indian politicians and senior officials about Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). These MPs called on the Kuwaiti government and the concerned authorities in other Islamic countries to put political, diplomatic and economic pressure on the Indian authorities; while stressing that the peaceful Indian protestors need support and protection. Speaking on behalf of the 30 MPs, MP Osama Al-Shaheen said he thinks the statement would have been signed unanimously if it was presented to all his colleagues.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the parliamentary Budgets and Final Accounts Committee MP Adnan Abdulsamad disclosed that the panel meeting scheduled for Thursday was also cancelled due to the lack of quorum.
He said the committee was supposed to vote on the budgets of 45 public institutions and subsidiaries before referring them to the National Assembly, indicating the panel might not be able to vote on the State budget before the agreed date -- June 20. He added that in case the lack of quorum continues, the State budget will be forwarded to the Assembly in the form submitted by the government. He appealed to his colleagues to attend the meeting in order to vote on the amendments to the State budget, affirming these amendments are in the interest of citizens.
In another development, MP Mehalhal Al-Mudaf asked First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to provide him with a copy of the medical report of Abdullah Fahd Tami -- a citizen who was beaten during investigations at the General Criminal Investigation Department in the Ministry of Interior. He wants to know the measures taken against those involved in the issue; if they were suspended; steps taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents; number of physical assault complaints submitted to the minister since Jan 1, 2020 till date; and number of employees who were fired for committing grave errors and attacking civilian citizens.
He added the Kuwait Society for Public Funds Protection submitted four complaints against the Central System for Remedying the Status of Illegal Residents (CSRSIR) to Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha). He asked how many cases were filed against CSRSIR, and requested for a report on the joint activities of CSRSIR and Pride Media Advertising Agency since the establishment of CSRSIR till date.
On reports that India will exempt Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates from the wheat export ban, Al-Mudaf asked Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Muhammad about the amount of aid that Kuwait granted to India over the last decade, if the ministry negotiated with India regarding the wheat export ban, and if it coordinated with its commerce and industry counterpart to ease procedures for the import of food products from certain countries, and strategy of the ministry in overcoming obstacles to the import of food products in view of the Russian-Ukraine war.
He asked Minister of Public Works, Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ali Al-Mousa about the steps taken to address violations recorded by the State Audit Bureau (SAB) against the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) such as the poor follow up of the distributed agricultural lots and animal farms to make sure that the beneficiaries are using them properly, particularly in increasing the country’s agricultural production.
He wants to know the vision of the ministry to achieve self-sufficiency in food production; reasons behind the remarkable increase in the number of plots and farms distributed in fiscal 2017/2018 -- more than 24,000 or 300 percent higher than the number of plots and farms distributed in fiscal 2016/2017; and if the increase in food production matches the increase in the number of distributed farms. He asked Minister of Commerce and Industry Fahd Al-Sherean about the impact of the decision of some Gulf countries to normalize relations with Israel on Kuwait, steps taken to protect Kuwait from a possible commercial infiltration by Israel, and if the ministry monitors all goods coming from Gulf countries that normalized relations with Israel to make sure they are not manufactured in Israel -- directly or indirectly.
MP Bader Al-Mullah forwarded queries to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Muhammad about the villas located in Fifth Settlement, Cairo, Egypt that the ministry purchased; reasons behind the purchase; expenses for guarding and maintenance, as well as for sending technicians and other employees to carry out finishing works in the villas. He pointed out these villas have not been used since they were purchased 15 years ago, so he wants to know the price of each villa at the time of purchase compared to their current value in Egyptian Pound and Kuwait Dinar.
He also wants to know if it is true that the ministry asked the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to increase the retirement age for the deputy minister of foreign affairs position. Moreover, the sit-in of MPs, who boycotted the special session on the Retirement Bill, continued for the third day on Thursday. Several citizens gathered in front of the Assembly building, raising slogans of support for the protesters and urging them not to give up. Some placards were seen hanging at the building, in which phrases stressing commitment to the Constitution are written; while some citizens distributed meals to the protesters. Lastly, Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim received Turkish Ambassador to Kuwait Ayse Hilal Sayan Koytak in his office on Thursday. They discussed issues of mutual concern. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff