JEDDAH, 3 July 2006 -- After having been elected chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) eight months ago, Abdullah Al-Muallimi submitted his resignation on Saturday in a somewhat sudden but predicted development following internal conflict among board members at the JCCI.

Al-Muallimi's frequent trips abroad are said to be the main cause of differences among board members who had called for the chairman's resignation. Members said they were unable to fulfill their roles and had been hindered in meeting the promises they had pledged during the election campaign.

Board member Madawi Al-Hassoun said after the resignation that it was best that there were no hard feelings. "We want to keep a sense of harmony and good will among us so that we can continue doing our job. Because he was elected as a board member and now after he steps down as chairman he will continue to remain a board member," he said.

However, in his resignation letter Al-Muallimi also withdrew his board membership saying he had hoped to resolve the matter amicably by professionally discussing the issue but found this course difficult to pursue due to the aggressive and chaotic attitude of some of the board members. Al-Muallimi also added that he continued to hold each member of the board in the utmost respect and admiration.

Businesswoman Sameera Bitar, one of 17 women who ran in the JCCI elections, said about the controversy, "I hope this conflict and resignation does not negatively affect the attitude of members and particularly the women's experience in the board and in the elections, especially with this being their first."

Sameera was disappointed by the way the two camps had fought each other in the public sphere. She suggested that such bickering could damage the board members' reputations and careers as well as the confidence of the business community.In a meeting last month Al-Muallimi refused to step down when asked to do so by the board members.

Although the initial conflict at the JCCI remained behind closed doors, the media caught wind of the controversy and newspapers reported on the fiasco.

A week later Dr. Hashim Yamani met with the board members to resolve the issue and an agreement was reached in which Al-Muallimi would remain chairman until the end of summer when he would on his own accord hand in his resignation. The agreement stated that the chairman would assign and authorize his deputy, Ziad Al-Bassam, to administer the chairman's duties while he is abroad on private trips.

Following the resignation, the board of directors will now hold an emergency meeting this week to nominate a chairman and board member to replace Al-Muallimi. All indications point to Saleh Al-Turki as the favored candidate to take over the chairmanship and for businessman Abdulkhaliq Said to become board member. Both Al-Muallimi and Al-Turki were part of the Lejeddah Group, led by Mohammed Jameel, which won the board elections in November. It was one of the most contested and competitive elections in the chamber's history, which also for the first time saw women participating as voters and candidates. Two women, Lama Al-Sulaiman and Nashwa Taher, were among the group that won the elections.

Upon winning, Jameel nominated Al-Muallimi chairman, who was then unanimously voted by board members. The Ministry of Commerce then appointed six other members including two women, Madawi Al-Hassoun and Ulfat Qabbani on the board.

By Maha Akeel

© Arab News 2006