KUWAIT: MP Ali Al-Omair announced yesterday his plans to compete for the speaker's post when the newly elected parliament holds its inaugural session. Al- Omair, who had earlier hinted about this step after he was elected last Saturday, is now in competition with MPs Ali Al- Rashid, Ahmad Al-Mulaifi, Essam Al- Dabous and Saad Al-Khanfour for the speaker's position. Meanwhile, MP Adnan Abdulsamad announced his plans to run for the Deputy Speaker's post, joining MPs Saadoun Al-Otaibi, Maasouma Al- Mubarak, Mubarak Al-Khurainej, Askar Al- Enizy and Khalid Al-Adwa who all have already announced their intention to compete for the position.
In the meantime, MPs spoke to the press about issues that would receive priority in their agendas. Al-Omair told Al-Rai on Sunday that he plans to focus on education and environment as he intends to run for the education committee while calling for the formation of a temporary committee to deal with environmental affairs. MP Safaa Al- Hashim announced, meanwhile, her plans to run for membership of the financial committee in order to "push several pending draft laws," in addition to calling for the formation of a temporary committee for women's affairs "to redress the female citizens' law that fails to address all the issues faced by every Kuwaiti woman." Also on Sunday, MP Saud Al-Huraiji told Al-Anba newspaper about his intention to "launch coordination and talks with fellow lawmakers in order to establish an Islamic bloc [inside the parliament] that seeks justice and equality." "The bloc would seek to eliminate extremism while maintaining the Islamic identity that was distorted by the actions of some extremists," he further explained.
Separately, MP Saleh Ashour hoped for the formation of a "strong cabinet that is serious in seeking a new and active cooperation with the parliament with its new composition." In statements to Al-Qabas on Sunday, he said that the Cabinet which is set to be formed within a couple of weeks "is required to deeply consider the results of the recent elections." Speaking of the Cabinet, Al-Jarida reported yesterday quoting "parliamentary insiders' that several lawmakers have already started networking with each other to prevent current ministers from being reappointed.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the sources mentioned "Defense Minister Ahmad Al-Khalid Al- Sabah, Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah and Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah" as not being favoured by several MPs due to the stance that these ministers adopted in the past towards them.
© Kuwait Times 2012
