25 July 2007
Muscat: A woman candidate has urged Omani citizens not to be indifferent to Majlis Al Shura elections to be held on October 27, but participate wholeheartedly to make the process fruitful for the future generations.
"There's a general tendency to look down at the whole Shura poll process in the country even by the educated people but my advice to them is to take part and make it work," said Aziza Bint Salim Al Habsi, a woman candidate from the Seeb area in Muscat, in an exclusive interview with Gulf News yesterday.
With the second open elections in the country just three months away, Al Habsi, a freelance journalist, reckons that in spite of government efforts to promote the Shura system in the country the whole process is yet to catch up people's imaginations.
"We are far behind in this movement due to lack of response from the society," the 37-year-old mother of two, said.
Qualification
She believes that every responsible citizen in the country needs to ponder over the whole meaning of Shura in the country.
"Our leader (Sultan Qaboos) understood the importance of Majlis Al Shura for the people of Oman and has given us an opportunity to evolve the process."
She wants eligible voters to think and send their own representatives to the advisory council a bit carefully.
"People complain that the Shura does nothing but a lot of change is possible if people elect the right candidates to the council," the UK-educated woman activist said. Al Habsi added that it was unfortunate that people base their votes on family and tribal relationship rather than qualifications.
"This is a huge opportunity given by our leader for the future of our sons and daughters, grab it, participate and don't complain, help to build the Shura process for the benefit of our sons and daughters," she said.
In her opinion two elected women members to the Shura was not a true reflection of progress made by the Omani women.
"The government is encouraging women to go ahead but the society has not responded so far in electing more women to the council," she remarked. The head of Omani Women's Association's Centre in Seeb wants people to put faith in Omani women's ability to deliver.
Better choice
"People still have tendency to think that men are better choice than women, but please we also have talented women to serve the society."
She would like fathers and husbands not to influence women of the house in voting. "They want wives and daughters to vote only for male relatives, cousins or tribal candidates. They should allow them to vote for women of their choice."
By Sunil K. Vaidya
Gulf News 2007. All rights reserved.
