KUWAIT CITY, July 4, (KUNA): Mainta-ining national unity and renouncing discords is a common responsibility for all segments of the society, affirmed Speaker of the National Assembly Jassem Al-Khorafi on Sunday. The national unity is a blessing for the society that should be preserved by “refraining from publishing anything that may harm it,” said the speaker at a seminar late on Sunday, adding that “enemies of the national unity failed to disintegrate the society, thus they resorted to discords as a cancerous arm.” Al-Khorafi expressed satisfaction at the level and status of the national media compared to that of the media in other Arab states, but expressed regret that the performance of the national media has been marred with failure to assess sensitivity of some of the publicized items.

Arab Times Editor-in-Chief Ahmed Al-Jarallah (right), making a point.
 

While expressing understanding of the journalists’ vying for exclusive information, he cautioned that information that “are harmful to the homeland and the society” should not be published, strongly urging writers and journalists to give no chance “for our enemies to rejoice over our misfortunes, for the national unity is a common responsibility for all, particularly the media.” He cautioned that those with ill sentiments towards Kuwait, when they failed to partition the society, resorted to the “Cancerous arm, sowing seeds of strifes.” Appealing anew on the media to refrain from publishing such items, he said, “We have no interest to air our laundery abroad,” noting that many people read the local press regularly.
“Matters discussed in closed sessions are suppose to be kept within such meetings,” said Al-Khorafi who expressed approval towards holding grilling sessions in the parameter of such meetings.

Kuwaitis should act in solidarity towards issues concerning the welfare and well-being of the people living on this territory, said Al-Khorafi. In regards to the government performance in parliament, he affirmed that the summer recess for the National Assembly should provide the government with a breather concerning plans for development in the country which should be pursued during the break. Al-Khorafi also touched on the so-called imbalance within parliament’s discussions concerning issues of priorities, saying that the last parliamentary term, which began in July first, focused less on discussing developments and more on grilling and the media hype surrounding such procedures.

“What was approved by parliament in the last term did not come easy,” affirmed Al-Khorafi, who attributed such to the lack of constructive dialogue amongst MPs as well as members of the cabinet, saying dialogue should be based on the common goal of achieving the interests of people of Kuwait.
Al-Khorafi said government interaction with the parliament “is not as sufficient, as the government’s decisions are based on reactions rather than policies.” “Ever since the government approved its development plan, the citizens saw no indications that development projects were planned for in advance, which is a simple thing. I hope I’m wrong,” the speaker noted.

“The government must ‘boldly’ criticize and assess itself,” Al-Khorafi stressed in an indication that the government should tolerate constructive criticism. Extolling the role of the women MPs, Al-Khorafi said “yet they need more coordination among them.” As for Arab, regional and international developments, Al-Khorafi said “Kuwait is surrounded by ‘sensitive’ circumstances. In politics there is no permanent ally nor enemy, as Kuwait’s interest must prevail at the end,” he said, adding that Kuwait should reconsider some of its political relations and work on sustaining its international ties.