KUWAIT CITY, July 15: Another parliamentary investigative panel will be formed soon to probe into the alleged violations in the contracts signed between the Ministry of Electricity and Water and some companies in 2007 to implement the power crisis prevention project, reports Al-Rai daily quoting sources.
The first investigative panel tasked to look into the issue has recommended referring former ministers Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah and Mohammad Al-Alaim to the Ministerial Court, as well as State Audit Bureau (SAB) Undersecretary Abdulaziz Al-Roomi and Assistant Undersecretary for Advance Monitoring Essam Al-Khaled to the Public Prosecution.

Sources explained the second committee will investigate into the role of the companies involved in the power crisis prevention plans to enable the Parliament to lay down an effective mechanism to recover the embezzled public funds. Sources pointed out the first panel’s functions were limited to investigating the role of government agencies behind the wastage of public money. Sources added the recent reports released by SAB showed that four companies have not abided by the stipulations of the contracts they signed for the implementation of the project.
MPs Ahmad Al-Saadoun, Musallam Al-Barak, Khalid Al-Tahous, Abdulrahman Al-Anjari and Hassan Jowhar have presented a proposal banning the detention of suspects for more than 24 hours unless there is a written order from the prosecutor, reports Al-Anba daily.

The lawmakers called for the amendment of Article 17 of the 1960 Penal Code, mandating the prosecutor to issue a written order to temporarily detain a suspect for a period not exceeding four days if he feels the latter intends to influence investigations or evade justice. In case the investigations are not completed within four days, the prosecutor should approach the concerned court to request extension of detention but it should not be more than seven days.
In another development, Al-Mostagbal daily has reported that Al-Barrak asked Deputy Premier and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Al-Sabah on the purchase of real estate properties worth KD 136 million from 2008 to 2010, as stated in the reply of the finance minister to queries in this regard. He demanded details, such as the breakdown of supplementary budgets approved by the finance minister and reasons for the purchase. He added these details were not mentioned in the response of the finance minister.

The National Action Bloc is allegedly making frantic efforts to maintain its alliance with the independent lawmakers to protect its members and some influential businessmen once the investigations on suspicious government contracts and tenders start, reports Al-Shahed daily quoting sources.
Sources revealed the bloc has been holding a series of meetings to coordinate with certain lawmakers to obtain support in the next legislative round. Sources said some independent and opposition lawmakers, who support Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahd, are behind the threats to submit parliamentary queries to disrupt progress in the government of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.