KUWAIT CITY, Sept 21: Thousands of Kuwaiti protesters called on Wednesday for the resignation of the prime minister and the government over an alleged corruption scandal involving several MPs. In one of the strongest show of force, more than 5,000 protesters attended the opposition-sponsored rally in the capital Kuwait City amid tight security measures by hundreds of policemen and elite special forces. “For the sake and interests of this country, we urge the Amir to dismiss the prime minister immediately,” said Islamist opposition MP Faisal Al-Muslim as the crowds chanted: “Go out.” Some of the speakers also called for both the dissolution of the parliament and the government while others wanted all those who are involved in the corruption scandal to be punished.

The opposition has been campaigning for the removal of the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, a senior member of the Al-Sabah ruling family and a nephew of the Amir.
“If the era of Sheikh Nasser does not end, corruption will grow bigger. This case has tarnished the image of the regime and the country,” Muslim told one of the biggest rallies in Kuwait in years.
The rally was called by Islamist, liberal and nationalist groups who altogether have more than 20 MPs in the 50-seat parliament, to press for stern action against lawmakers who allegedly received bribes.
Veteran opposition figure MP Ahmad al-Saadoun said the rally was organised to “send a message to the leaders (of the country) that corruption in the country has reached its limit.”
“Corruption has become so widespread and the prime minister must leave,” said the former three-time parliament speaker, who earlier estimated the sums received by MPs at round $350 million.
Saadoun said he will file to grill in parliament the prime minister and the ministers of defence, interior and foreign affairs, all senior members of the ruling family.

Kuwait’s public prosecution last week launched an investigation into the bank accounts of at least nine MPs who have allegedly received huge deposits during the past few months.
Hundreds of youth activists demonstrated on Friday, demanding fundamental reform including a constitutional monarch and action against corruption.
Corruption has been on the rise in Kuwait which amassed more than $200 billion of budget surpluses over the past 12 fiscal years, thanks to high crude price.
Between 2003 and 2009, the Kuwait slipped 31 places to 66th position on the Berlin-based Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index among 178 nations.
In 2010, however, it improved 12 places to the 54th position but still came last among the six-nation energy-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), behind Saudi Arabia.

Theme
The rally which was organised under the theme “Toppling the Briber and the Bribed” was attended by all opposition blocs including the Popular Action, Development and Reform, National Action, Islamic Constitutional Movement, Salafi Movement, National Democratic Alliance, Kuwait Democratic Platform, National Union of Kuwait Students and other youth groups, was largely peaceful and orderly. Prominent Members of Parliament and other youth leaders took turns to address the crowd.
MP Ahmed Saadoun stated that unlike his colleagues, he originally was not in favor of the dissolution of parliament, but now “I’m with them in this demand because the situation of the Parliament is getting worse by the day.” He stressed that the responsibility of MPs will not end through conversation as there are grilling requests pending against Ministers of Interior, Defense and foreign Affairs. He called on Minister of Interior to look at the gathering via helicopter and convey a message to HH the Crown prince that the corruption has reached its peak.

In his fiery speech which was regularly interrupted by rapturous applause, MP Faisal Al-Muslim called for the immediate resignation of the prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed, saying “Al-Mohammed is not qualified to head the government, he should go,” adding that he will present a grilling request against the prime minister in connection with the millions deposits scandal.
He said Kuwait people deserve a popular government, so as lawmakers they support this system, stressing that this government must go because of using public money in corrupting politicians and supporting of corrupt media.
He appealed to HH the Amir to rescue the people of Kuwait by removing the prime minister immediately from his post because the people don’t want him. This part of the speech brought the crowd to their feet, chanting “the People want to topple Corruption.”

Bribes
MP Hassan Jowhar said there is no need to mourn the departure of this parliament and government because all of their members are accused of taking bribes except the youth who are leading this rally today, adding that “None of the MPs should be trusted, all have been accused, including those attended this rally, and am one of them.”

He called for MPs and ministers to declare their assets starting with the prime minister. “I also call for disclosure of political bribery and political declaration for MPs” he stressed, adding that the worst type of bribery is the sectarian and tribal bribery, and let us all unite and eradicate all forms of bribery and corruption.
MP Mohammed Hayef noted that if the head of the executive authority is corrupt then all the state apparatus is corrupt, calling for exposure of those in the millions deposits scandal so that the innocent among them can be exonerated.

He called on the Public prosecutor to declare a stance in the million deposits scandal similar to the stance of the Public Prosecutor in Egypt in the trial of Present Hosni Mubarak.
Lawyer Nidal Al-Humaidan stressed that Kuwait is the peal of the Gulf but now that corruption is rampant in it, the government and the parliament must resign so as to restore its dignity.
There was also a small pro-prime minister rival group led by Aisha Rushed that pitched camp a few meters away from the rally grounds that displayed a banner that read “We are with you Abu Nasser.” The two groups were separated by metal barricades and a huge cordon of police personnel.

In his contribution MP Mussalam Barrak praised the banks that referred accounts of MPs to the Public Prosecution, adding that this government must leave because of corruption and that they will go to the street to seek help as done by US President, Barrak Obama when he sought help of American people to put pressure on their MPs. “Kuwait people will tread on the MPs who collect bribes.” He called on the parliament and the government to leave with the failed prime minister, hinting that there are some accounts to be disclosed in the coming days.

MP Ali Al-Daqbasi said everyone accepts that there is organized corruption embedded in all state institutions, stressing that 80 percent of sessions of the parliament were a waste of time and that there is no hope for the current parliament, calling for new parliament and new government.
Former MP Dr Nasser Al-Sanei called on the MPs who were referred to the Public Prosecution to come out and explain to the people why their accounts swelled with such millions. He also call for a new government, new approach and approval of assets and financial disclosure law through a special parliamentary session.

Elsewhere in Jahra, the scheduled Bedoun demonstration did not get the needed response as security was very tight in preparedness for the proposed demonstration. According to a security source quoted by Al-Seyassah daily, the authorities took all measures and set up barriers and checkpoints inside the areas in anticipation of the demonstration.