KUWAIT CITY - Fourth Constituency candidate Musallam Al-Barrak has promised to continue fighting for people's rights, affirming he is ready to face challenges from the next government or other lawmakers because he has never been involved in misappropriation of public funds. Al-Barrak made the statement while addressing female voters in his constituency recently. He asserted he will never engage in any act that will prompt people to accuse him of toying with future generations or abusing the Constitution. Admitting that he was among the former MPs who blocked the implementation of a certain project, Al-Barrak clarified only 30 people will have a right to 40 percent of a 12 square-kilometer property in a posh area with a market value of about KD12 billion. He added some former lawmakers were not rich when they entered the previous Parliament, but they fattened their bank accounts to the tune of millions after a brief legislative stint. He accused these former lawmakers of neglecting the needs of citizens as they are keen only on boosting their annual savings.
Al-Barrak also threatened to grill the incoming Finance Minister in case the latter signs the Green Island project, which measures 164,000 square meters and is worth KD2.4 billion, for two beneficiaries. In another development, Second Constituency candidate Attorney Saad Saleh Al-Khanna believes Kuwait can weather the economic and political crises only through patriotism, reports Al-Rai daily. Al-Khanna also urged the blocs to refrain from instigating conflicts, which should not be observed in a nation known for its unity. He also expects the outcome of the legislative elections slated for Saturday will lead to vital changes. He appealed to the voters to choose the right candidates, hoping the next Parliament and government will set aside their differences to move the wheels of development forward. Some candidates from the Third Constituency have allegedly purchased votes at KD500 each for men and KD 300 for women in Jabriya, says a local Arabic daily.
Sources observed a remarkable increase in the number of vote-buying deals in the constituency over the last two days. Sources disclosed some candidates obtained financial support from unidentified donors, prompting them to engage in vote-buying deals to ensure their success in the May 16 elections. Sources said two candidates from the constituency received KD 650,000 each to support their vote-buying activities, clarifying both candidates initially received KD 400,000 each but the donors gave additional funds later to allow them to purchase more votes.
Other sources claimed the government has allotted KD 3 million to support three candidates from the Fifth Constituency to prevent a former MP famous for his anti-government agenda from entering the next Parliament. Sources added the security officers noticed three vehicles -Jeep, Ford and Land Rover - roaming around various areas in the constituency to purchase votes in favor of a candidate.
Moreover, candidates in other constituencies have reportedly purchased air tickets for voters. Sources said these candidates had a deal with some travel offices in the country to provide air tickets to their constituents provided the latter will vote for them.
Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Shiite Scholar Mohammed Baqer Al-Mehri has stated "husbands must not compel their wives and children to vote for candidates they do not wish to vote for as they have the right to elect the candidate of their choice."
The scholar has been quoted as saying members of radical Islamic blocs must not oblige their wives and children to vote for their Islamic candidates. He added members of Islamic blocs are supposed to know the Islamic doctrine and must not use Islam for personal gains. He stressed Islam is a religion of freedom and fairness.
Despite optimism that the new parliament could be different, Kuwaitis fear the same old faces will return with the same troubles that have prompted repeated cabinet reshuffles and resulted in three elections in as many years.
As a first test, the new assembly has to vote on the stimulus package which is seen crucial to help the financial sector overcome the global financial crisis.
"If the Islamists come back, the same thing will happen and parliament will be dissolved again," said Abu Ahmad, a voter in his fifties, while watching the bourse index.
Kuwait, the world's fourth-largest oil exporter, lags behind other Gulf states such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain, who have transformed into commercial, financial and tourist centres that attract foreign investors.
The political instability has for long delayed much-needed economic reforms and major projects as deputies spend much of the year blocking deals or asking to question ministers who would rather resign than face public scrutiny.
"There are many projects announced since the 1960s but nothing materialised. They are just archived in government offices," voter Hossam Al-Sharaf said after listening to an hour-long rally by Shiite candidate Saleh Ashour.
Badriya Maqaseed, a female voter, agreed. "We need a radical change. Since the 1960s we have had one university, we should have more. Kuwait used to be called the Pearl of the Gulf."
Kuwait's protracted crisis led Moody's Investors Service to say in March that it may cut the country's sovereign rating for the first time since it started rating Kuwait in 1996.
The cabinet resigned in March to avoid Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah being questioned by lawmakers, who have tried to exercise their rights in Kuwait's political system to the full.
Analysts say the new parliament is likely to be dominated yet again by Islamists and tribesmen, who oppose trimming back Kuwait's huge welfare state despite financial turmoil that forced the Gulf Arab state to rescue a major bank last year.
"Islamists can lose some seats but it won't be enough to change the general mood in the parliament. They will gain in the elections," political analyst Shafiq al-Ghabra said. Kuwaiti women, who have never won a parliamentary seat, hope voters fed up with repeated political crises will give female candidates a chance to prove themselves in Saturday's poll. Three women have been appointed as ministers since Kuwait passed a 2005 law granting women the right to vote and run for office for the first time since parliament was created in 1963. "This is our time. The right to vote was taken away from us for 40 years and until today we didn't get all our right," Sara Akbar, Chief Executive of oil firm Kuwait Energy Co told a women-only rally supporting female candidate Rola Dashti.
But others say women, who remain untested and inexperienced in the political arena, still have a long way to go before they can convince voters of their ability to lead Kuwait. Vote buying, giving false promises, and acts of spreading false information during elections are against all Islamic values, said a religious researcher here on Thursday. Religious researcher at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Dr Suleiman Al-Durai'a told KUNA that citizens, whether voters or candidates, should not abuse the elections through malpractices, adding that Islam called for fairness in all acts including the elections. Receiving or giving money for votes was an act which Muslims should avoid by all means, said Al-Durai'a, adding that all parties involved in this act were committing a sin.
© Arab Times 2009
