MPs approve ‘Audit’ resignation

KUWAIT CITY, July 11: The Cabinet on Monday ratified the government’s 2023-2027 action plan. Titled (correcting the course: product-based economy and sustainable wellbeing), the five-pronged plan breaks down into a number of programs and projects reflecting the government’s goals based on the state’s developmental plan, noted Deputy Premier Essa Al-Kanderi after the Cabinet’s session.

This would contribute in accelerating pace of achievement, as well as further fruitful cooperation between the executive and legislative branches, pointed out Al-Kanderi, also Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs. The plan is to then be forwarded to the National Assembly.

The Cabinet also congratulated His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti people and Arab and Muslim nations on the new Islamic year, which would start on Wednesday July 19. On this occasion, the Cabinet decided that the government bodies would take Wednesday July 19 as a public holiday and Thursday July 20 as a rest day, and they would resume work on Sunday (July 23).

The Cabinet also ordered the publication of 100,000 of copies of the Holy Quran translated into the Swedish language to be distributed in Sweden in coordination with the Foreign Ministry. The move is meant to let people in Sweden get first-hand knowledge about Islam’s Holy Book and the Islamic values and teachings of peace and tolerance as well as to help promote the values of peaceful co-existence between peoples of different faiths and to counter extremism and hatred.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly held its ordinary session on Tuesday, which included voting on the minutes of the inaugural session on June 20. However, MP Marzouq Al-Ghanim voiced his objection, indicating that two pages of the minutes contain the supposed statement of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al- Ahmed Al Sabah, but the latter did not utter such statement in the session. Meanwhile, the Assembly approved 42 incoming letters, rejected one and referred another to the Assembly Office for deliberation.

The rejected incoming letter was that of Al-Ghanim, in which he requested assigning the Youth and Sports Committee to investigate the alleged interference of the government in the election of the chairman of Asian Olympic Council.

The Assembly read the incoming letter of HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah who expressed his gratitude to the MPs for greeting him on his return from special vacation in Italy, and the letter of HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah who thanked the MPs for their Eid Al-Adha greetings.

This is in addition to the letter of MP Jenan Bu Shehri urging the ministers to implement Article 116 of the Constitution and refrain from adopting a negative attitude, particularly boycotting the parliamentary sessions; as well as the letter of the Foreign Affairs Committee chairman on withdrawing certain reports from the agenda as per Article 109 of the National Assembly Law.

Following are the approved incoming letters:

• Request of MPs Abdulaziz Al-Saqaabi and Badr Al-Mulla for the Yourh and Sports Committee to follow up the cycling sport issues and submit its report at the beginning of the upcoming parliamentary session;

• Request of several MPs for the Interior and Defense Affairs Committee to expedite the completion of reports on amending law number 42/2006 about the specification of constituencies and submit its report within a few weeks;

• Request of MP Muhammad Al-Hewaila for the Housing and Real Estate Affairs Committee to conduct a study on the following:

• establishment of a residential area in West Hadiya;

• Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources’ hand over of Abu Halifa Park to the Public Authority for Housing Welfare; - establishment of South Sabah Al-Ahmad residential area and ensuring the availability of a budget for this project;

*Request of Al-Hewaila for the Public Facilities Committee to carry out the following:

• study the linking of Wafra Road 306 to the Seventh Ring Road;

• study and address the problems in Mangaf residential area in cooperation with the concerned institutions;

• study the reasons behind the delayed completion of Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Resort in Wafra;

• study ways to speed up the completion of the medical district in Sabah Al-Ahmad City;

• study the linking of drainage and rain water networks in Sabah Al-Ahmad City with the nearest waste water plant;

• study the establishment of branches of the colleges and institutes of the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training in Sabah Al-Ahmad City;

*Request of Al-Hewaila for the Education, Culture and Guidance Affairs Committee to conduct a study in order to expedite the establishment of the branches of Kuwait University colleges in Sabah Al-Ahmed City;

*Request of several MPs for the State Audit Bureau (SAB) to audit the works of Dhaman Hospitals Company including the financial, legal, administrative and technical issues since its establishment till date, and submit its report within three months;

*Request of several MPs for the Housing and Real Estate Affairs Committee to conduct a study in order to determine the best sustainable solutions to the housing issue, provide sufficient cash for Kuwait Credit Bank and determine the obstacles to the completion of housing projects, and then submit its report before the end of the next parliamentary year;

*Request of the Disabled Affairs Committee chairman as follows:

• transfer reports on the proposed amendment of Disabled Affairs Law number 8/2010 from the Health, Social and Labor Affairs Committee to the Disabled Affairs Committee;

• Disabled Affairs Committee should monitor the Public Authority for Disabled Affairs’ commitment to law number 8/2010, and record the complaints and comments in this regard;

*Request of the Family, Women and Children Affairs Committee chairman for his committee to study all the relevant issues, while the relevant bills should be submitted to the committee;

*Request of MP Osama Al-Shaheen for the Foreign Affairs Committee to follow up the steps that the government took to protect the nation’s rights concerning Durra oilfield;

*Request of several MPs for the same committee to follow up governmental measures to protect the wealth of Kuwait and its sovereignty, especially in relation to Durra oilfield and demarcate marine borders with Iran;

*Request of MP Mubarak Al-Tasha for the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee to conduct a study on the reasons behind the price hikes and inflation, and submit its report within one month;

*Request of MP Mubarak Al-Hajraf for the Family, Women and Children Affairs Committee to study the reasons behind the rising divorce rate in the country and recommend solutions;

*Request of Al-Hajraf for the Public Facilities Committee to study the reasons behind the deterioration of public facilities including traditional markets, public parks and streets, in addition to discussing the Silk City issue and development of Kuwaiti Islands;

Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Ahmed Al-Saadoun decided to discuss the resignation of SAB Chairman Faisal Al-Shaya behind closed doors. The Assembly approved the resignation.

In a press statement, MP Khalid Al-Tamar confirmed that he agreed on the approval of the resignation; pointing out that some senior officials were appointed in the past to serve personal interests. He stressed the need to end such misconduct, while praising the efforts of dedicated SAB employees and highlighted the important role of the bureau in uncovering violations.

When the Assembly discussed the Holy Quran burning in Sweden, several MPs talked about the issue and 46 of them signed a request for the Assembly to release its official statement on the issue including the following recommendations:
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must take the necessary steps to punish whoever offends Islam in general, and God, the Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them) and the Holy Quran in particular as per the relevant international law;
• The international law must stipulate filing a case against whoever offends God, the Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them) and the Holy Quran;
• Urge other countries to reject the asylum applications of those accused of offending God, the Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them) and the Holy Quran;
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must take the necessary action to deter other countries from patronizing those who offend God, the Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them) and the Holy Quran through diplomatic channels.

By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff and Agencies