KUWAIT CITY, Oct 11: Shares owned by some current and former MPs, ministers and other senior government officials amount to 1.2 billion dinars, and that include shares held by some 17 MPs, 3 former ministers and 4 senior officials valued at 120 million dinars, reports Al-Shahid daily quoting reliable sources as saying.

The same sources disclosed a former minister owns 21 million dinars in shares at a service company, which he allegedly received upon ‘sublime services’ he rendered and not through the bourse. They added that 4 former ministers bought shares worth 15 million dinars indirectly and some undersecretaries and general managers acquired 10 million dinars worth of shares.

Sources demanded those shares to be confiscated and given back to the state, affirming that 7 Kuwaiti families possess 2 billion dinars in shares with companies listed on the bourse-representing 11 percent of the total market value, even though those families are not among the 13 commercial families having possessions with the investment groups.

Sources stressed that shares the lawmakers, ministers, undersecretaries and directors own in the name of their wives and relatives are based on sublime services that are generally rendered by people in their positions.

In other developments, sources disclosed that proponents of the grilling request likely to be submitted against HH the Prime Minister at the end of the week on the multimillion dinars scandal has reduced to 19 lawmakers, while some optimistic MPs expected the number to rise to 26.   

According to the same sources, the dwindle in the number of proponents is caused by the indistinct position of the members of National Labor Bloc, as some of them had taken part in the latest gathering and still hesitate to declare their stance on the grilling, saying the Public Prosecution is still investigating the case.
Sources explained that MP Faisal Al-Muslim is about to prepare details of the only pivot in the grilling, which revolves the government’s lackluster attitude to refer those involved in the scandal to the Public Prosecution.
Meanwhile, a number of MPs have condemned the assault against Chairman of Kuwait Society for Hearing Disabilities Hamad Al-Mirri and demanded for immediate investigation into the incident, reports Al-Horriya daily.

MP Dulaihi Al-Hajri considers the attack a grave incident, urging the Ministry of Interior to act swiftly to arrest the suspects.  He wants a thorough investigation to determine if the attack was premeditated.
Agreeing with his colleague, MP Khaled Al-Adwah asked the ministry to uncover the truth behind the assault, especially since there have been speculations it might be an attack against the disabled in general.