KUWAIT CITY, Dec 17: “Those who expose violations in government contracts and works should not be considered enemies if they have concrete evidence to back their allegations,” Alam-Alyawm daily quoted MP Musallam Al-Barrak as saying.

Reacting to the opposition of Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali to his chairing of Protection of Public Funds Committee in the Parliament, Al-Barrak wondered why the minister described him as a litigant and the judge. The MP said it was the government which encouraged lawmakers to provide useful information, but because I am the head of the committee, the government is taking a U-turn and singing a different song. “The minister is objecting to my position now because I raised the issue of the loan to Russia after reports of the Audit Bureau were issued,” he said. “The money was not collected until after parliamentary pressure on the government, and as against the words of the finance minister that the entire amount had been collected, KD 370 million was donated to society development projects in Russia and KD 620 million were diverted into Russian weapons deals.” On the issue of the Public Authority of Investments included in the 10th letter of the finance minister, Al-Barrak said the government does not cooperate with investigation committees but complains of attitudes of lawmakers. He advised the minister not to rely on his advisers because they would mislead him and urged him to read letters very well before sending them to the parliament.

Al-Barrak had words for the Justice Minister concerning the rumors making rounds that two divisions would be created to look into cases involving sheikhs from the ruling family on public opinion issues. He said it is wrong because it is unconstitutional to discriminate between the sheikhs and citizens. “I do not doubt anybody, but it seems like we are trying to influence judgments to favor one particular section,” he stated.