KUWAIT CITY, Jan 28: The Financial and Economic Affairs Committee has unanimously approved a draft bill on financing small enterprises, revealed committee Chairman MP Yusuf Al-Zalzalah on Monday.
“The bill is an integrated legislation drafted by the 2009 Assembly and reviewed by the annulled 2012 Assembly. However, the dissolution of the two parliaments delayed voting on the bill,” he said.
Al-Zalzalah stated that the committee took into consideration the recommendations of the government while developing the bill and it will be listed on the agenda of the next parliament session.
On the loan interest issue, Al-Zalzalah added that the proposed interest write-off concerns conventional banks, which have accumulated interest of KD 1.1 billion, and not Islamic banks. Based on the committee’s consultations with the government, he said, it is clear that there were many violations committed by the banks prior to April 1, 2008.

Agencies add:
Former MP Jamaan Al-Harbash has said the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) is a political bloc that adopts the ideology of Muslim Brotherhood, nonetheless has political and national agenda, reports Al-Rai daily.
Al-Harbash added that ICM did not support the Arab Spring revolutions, with the exception of Syria, because the nation has been witness to sectarian holocaust by its regime.
On accusations of the former lawmaker interfering in Emirati internal affairs and those of other GCC countries, he denied the claim and stressed there’s is no truth in it. He explained activities of the movement are local based, while the Gulf countries and their regimes ally with Kuwait. He noted those leveling these accusations fear the wave of Arab Spring, and that he sued the person alleging ICM has links with terrorist cell in the United Arab Emirates. According to Al-Harbash, he has information about the alleged spy cell and he believes there is no such group. He hopes the matter would not reach the stage where evidence could be forged; “otherwise, ICM will pursue the case to the international level.”