Amir deplores assault bid on Speaker at cemetery

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Solution sought on dismissal of judicial experts

Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 12: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Thursday sent a cable to National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, regretting an attempted assault on him while offering condolence at Al-Sulaibikhat Cemetery.

In the cable, His Highness the Amir decried the act as being incompatible with Islamic values, and the tradition and ethics of the Kuwaiti people who have always been renowned for amity, sympathy and solidarity in joy and sorrow.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent two cables of identical sentiments to the Speaker.

Al-Ghanim, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir for his cable, which deplored an attempted assault on him while he was offering condolences at Al-Sulaibikhat Cemetery.

Al-Ghanim also thanked His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah for their cables expressing identical sentiments towards him.

The Speaker said that the cables reflected the true and humane values of the Kuwaiti people, saying that the attempt of assault was an act far from the traditions and ethics of Kuwaitis.

Al-Ghanim issued a statement to clarify what transpired at Sulaibikhat Cemetery, indicating that he found himself compelled to explain what transpired on Wednesday, Dec 11 in order to avoid rumor mongering, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

He explained, “After I finished offering condolences to the bereaved family and was heading towards the exit, I met Adnan Al-Waraa’ who was accompanied by two individuals. I greeted brother Adnan and the second person, and when I stretched out my hand to greet the third person, he refused. He instead uttered some foul words.

In response, I told him, “It is a shame to do this, considering we are at a cemetery”. I then turned my back and walked away.

That was when he attempted to hit me with his hand, but brother Fahad who was with me blocked the attack”.

Al-Ghanim clarified that the video clips being circulated on social media in this regard are old and not related to the incident that occurred on Wednesday, adding, “I am shocked and annoyed by what transpired.

However, I affirm that this incident was just an accident and has nothing to do with our morals as Kuwaitis and Muslims.” He revealed that he goes to the cemetery almost on a daily basis to offer his condolences to the bereaved, and to rewards from Almighty Allah, adding, “I have never encountered such an incident.”

Al-Ghanim highlighted that it is the nature of cemetery to inspire piety, humility and tranquility, and during funeral processions, people tend to experience sadness, compassion and solidarity with the bereaved family.

He affirmed, “The culprit in this incident only represents himself. Everyone will bear their own sins,” adding that the culprit’s family is a noble one that upholds high level of moral standards, and they are generous and honorable people. “If the government is formed in the coming week, I will call for a parliamentary session to be held on Dec 24.

This is the expected date but it depends on the formation of the new government, Al-Ghanim said during a press conference. Concerning the issue of the dismissed experts of Ministry of Justice, the Speaker affirmed that he respects judicial verdicts and the decision will be applied; however, the situation of the 560 affected Kuwaiti families is a matter of concern for everyone, as they may lose their source of income. Al-Ghanim revealed that he met the Minister of Justice and State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Dr Fahd Al-Afasi on Wednesday to discuss this issue with the aim of finding a solution.

He said His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al- Hamad Al-Sabah expressed his personal interest in the matter, and stressed the need to find a solution to this issue which has affected 560 experts but only after taking into consideration the need to execute the court verdict.

In response to a question posed by the Arab Times reporter to enquire if the solutions include conducting the recruitment process again for the dismissed experts and possibly reappointing them, Al-Ghanim indicated that the solution is on table.

However, he was quick to add that any solution must be studied well in order to meet the legal and judiciary aspects concerning this matter. He concluded the topic by reassuring everyone that a solution will be found.

In another development, five MPs, in a bid to attain equality with regard to legal repercussions, submitted a bill to liquidate the current law that subjects ministers to specialized trials, and instead place them under the standard Penal Code, because the ministerial trials entail complex procedures and do not meet the principle of equal justice.

These five MPs include Adel Al- Damkhi, Riyadh Al-Adasani, Shu’aib Al-Muwaizri, Abdulwahab Al-Babtain and Bader Al-Mulla. They highlighted in their explanatory note that the law bore no significant legal impacts from prosecuting ministers since its implementation back in 1995. Considering the law allows special legal procedures, equal standings in terms of the law is fl awed and debatable.

Therefore, the bill would subject all ministers to the Penal Code that is enforced on the general public including those with particularities such as money laundering and public funds protection, even if the concerned minister left their post before the crime was reported and legal procedures have been initiated.

In addition, MP Mohammad Hussein Al-Dalal, during a press conference, called for expediting the formation of the government so that the Parliament can resume its responsibilities as quickly as possible. He stressed that there are plenty of issues, proposals and bills that need to be discussed, but everything is currently suspended until the new government is formed.

Al-Dalal revealed that he will soon submit a parliamentary question to the State Minister for Economic Affairs and Acting Minister of Finance Mariam Al- Aqeel to ask whether decisions such as appointing or reshuffling employees are among the urgent issues required to be taken up by the caretaker government.

He urged the former Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and the current Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to study the urgent issues that a caretaker government is allowed to practice in order to avoid illegal decisions being taken and then appealed later, resulting in victims, similar to the case of dismissal of the 560 experts of Ministry of Justice.

By Ahmed Al-Naqeeb and Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff and Agencies

This news has been read 44218 times!

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