KUWAIT CITY, Sept 25: The government is reportedly gearing up for a battle with opposition lawmakers who are planning to grill the prime minister at the start of the parliamentary session, reports Al-Anba daily. A legal team has been tasked to study all the issues raised on the multimillion dinar deposit in the accounts of some lawmakers, and present a comprehensive report to the Cabinet.
Sources say the legal team would prepare a recommendation, suggesting that any grilling request against any minister or prime minister on the deposit scandal be referred to the Constitutional Court, in line with the resolve of the leadership to deal strictly with all issues. The source said the government is taking this position because firstly, the issue is still under investigation at the Public Prosecution and no one has been indicted yet. Secondly, no judgment has been passed on the government, bank or even individuals, and until now, no link has been established to the government on this matter. The government has been accused by several lawmakers who are sure of its complicity in the scandal, and it is said to be studying all reactions before it determines a course of action.
Meanwhile, Al-Kuwaitiah daily quoted Minister of Development Affairs Ahmad Al-Haroun as saying that political tensions in the country won’t affect the development plan “which will go ahead as scheduled until the law that established it is changed.” He said the current plan is unique because it is backed by a law, and that periodical reports are provided to prove its seriousness. “The third report is ready and would be released by the ministry soon,” he said, adding there are no significant obstacles in the course of implementation.
Meanwhile,  it is necessary that the government or National Assembly is dissolved to stop the current impasse, if not a grilling proposal will be filed against the prime minister when the parliamentary session convenes on October 25, reports Al-Rai daily quoting MP Saleh Al-Mulla as saying.
In an interview with the daily, Al-Mulla noted the government will end up referring the issue to the Constitutional Court claiming the move is unconstitutional. He stressed the next session will be extraordinary due to loads of tension accruing over the period and recently impelled by the bribery scandal. Al-Mulla is of the view that the MPs will engage in physical fight, and relationships with the executive authority are bound to deteriorate in the next phase. He called for utmost transparency in handling the bribery scandal, which he said has become a popular issue. This is necessary in order to cool nerves and pacify public opinion, urging that people with information on the issue should come out to make it public.
For his part, MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei says the National Assembly must be dissolved to pave the way for early elections because the Abdullah Al-Salem Hall can no longer remain convenient for those involved in the scandal. He said the MPs are waiting for decision makers in the country to act before things spiral out of control.
Also, MP Falah Al-Sawagh has stated that the government should resign because 26 lawmakers were present at the rally, which is enough to isolate the prime minister and cause dissolution of the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, Al-Anba daily reported that the parliamentary blocs agreed on pursuing the formation of an investigation committee that will task any of their members to garner information from the banks and government institutions on corruption related issues and the bribery scandal.
In a related development, Al-Shahid daily said that former MP Khudair Al-Enezi denies that the government and the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) have a deal. He pointed out that the ICM wouldn’t be in their current condition if the assertion were true.
Speaking at a program on Al-Shahid TV, Al-Enezi said the 10 electoral constituency system is far better and appropriate for Kuwait than the single constituency being clamored. All we need are wise politicians, he reiterated.