Shukhair favors financial disclosure bill
KUWAIT CITY: Secretary General of the Parliament Allam Al-Kandari on Wed-nesday met the first-time MPs to brief them on the work mechanism in the legislative authority and services offered to parliamentarians, in addition to a tour of the session hall and the offices.
MPs Shaya Al-Shaya, Ammar Al-Ajmi, Khalid Shukhair Al-Mutairi, Ab-dullah Al-Turaiji, Mana-wer Naqa, Osama Al-Shahin, Nabeel Al-Fadhl, Adel Al-Damkhi, Abdul-latif Al-Amiri, Hamad Matar, Riyadh Al-Adsani, Mohammed Al-Dallal, Nayef Al-Ajmi and Abdulhamid Dashti attended the meeting.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Shukhair disclosed he intends to submit his statement of assets and liabilities to the Secretariat General of the National Assembly as he remains committed to his promise to push for the approval of the financial disclosure bill.
Shukhair said HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah must form a strong government that can perform its duties well. He also affirmed support for the premier, asserting "Our hands are stretched out to Sheikh Jaber."
On the proposed amendment of Article Two of the Constitution, Shukhair revealed he supports the proposal and he is currently studying the constitutional framework to have a clearer picture of the issue.
Recently, a group of Islamist MPs, led by Mohammed Hayef, announced their plan to present a bill on the amendment of Article Two to make the Islamic Sharia as the only source of legislation. Article Two stipulates that the religion of the State is Islam and the Islamic Sharia shall be the sole source of legislation.
Shukhair added, "We are now waiting for the formation of the government, which should consist of statesmen. We are willing to cooperate with the executive authority, especially if it will comprise of statesmen."
Asked about his choice for the speaker post, Shukhair said he will vote for veteran MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun.
On the other hand, Al-Fadhl also commented on the proposed amendment of Article Two, pointing out HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah must approve the proposal. He lamented he had earlier demanded the amendment of certain articles of the Constitution but no one listened to him. He added the public must accept the idea of revising the Constitution.
On the speakership, Al-Fadhl believes Al-Saadoun has a greater chance of getting the post among the other possible nominees. He also appealed to the prime minister to appoint competent ministers, adding the parliamentary blocs must not meddle with the appointment process.
Talking about the performance of the previous Parliament, Al-Fadhl lamented the poor standard of dialogue. "I have no dispute with anybody, even MP Faisal Al-Mislem, and I have no intention to join any bloc although my ideology is somewhat similar to that of the National Action Bloc," he explained.
On the contrary, Dashti outrightly rejected calls for the amendment of the Constitution due to the unstable situation in the country. He stressed the need to stabilize the nation first before focusing on constitutional revision. He clarified the Constitution is his guide in his parliamentary work and he welcomes anyone regardless of their affiliations but he will not tolerate those who violate the Constitution.
Moreover, Al-Shahin suggested the formation of a new parliamentary committee to deal with development affairs. He said this panel should work with the executive authority in ensuring the successful implementation of the development plan and prevent clashes between government agencies. He emphasized the need for the next government to fully cooperate with the Parliament to realize the dreams of the people of Kuwait.
In a related development, sources affirmed preparations are in full swing inside the Abdullah Al-Salem Hall for the opening session of the Parliament on Feb 15.
© Arab Times 2012
