KUWAIT: The grilling motion MP Adel Al-Damkhi filed yesterday against Minister of Social Affairs Dr Ghadeer Aseeri is not an individual act and was agreed upon by many lawmakers during a meeting held at MP Mohammed Hayef's office last week, well-informed parliamentary sources said. The sources added that the grilling motion is a manifestation of a reaction to a previous hostile attitude Aseeri had taken against the unified GCC stand concerning the 2011 events in Bahrain, when she was against the intervention of the Peninsula Shield forces and supported protestors in Bahrain.

Responding to a question about how to question the minster for a previous attitude and opinion, the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that regardless of this detail, MPs plan to blame the government for including a minister who had "embarrassed" Kuwait in front of sister countries. "How would the minister react in GCC meetings while she is against them - this would embarrass Kuwait," the sources noted. A session will be held on Jan 7 to debate the grilling motion filed against Aseeri, the sources said, adding that the government will have either to have her take the podium or resign from office, because lawmakers will strongly oppose referring the motion to the legislative committee or the constitutional court.

"Should the government succeed in doing so, another grilling will be filed against the minister within a month, which means that she will have to resign," the sources stressed. The sources highlighted that a no-confidence motion will be prepared before discussing the grilling motion and that there more than 10 (around 18) lawmakers in favor of the motion. "The government should accept her resignation and appoint a new Shiite minister," the sources stressed, noting that MP Mohammed Al-Mutair plans to grill His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah if the government rejects passing the general amnesty law and dropping previous verdicts issued against former lawmakers for breaking into the parliament.

Sentence overruled

The court of cassation yesterday annulled a previous verdict issued acquitting a Bangladeshi man who had been charged of committing hostile actions against US and Britain and sentenced him to eight months in prison. The court also sentenced the same defendant to one year in prison, a KD 1,000 fine and deportation for misusing Instagram and threatening the British ambassador and the US Army commander in Kuwait.

Policemen arrested

Two policemen were caught red-handed while recklessly driving a vehicle and performing stunts near Sulaibikhat cemetery. Security sources said on leaving the cemetery, MoI Undersecretary Lt Gen Essam Al-Nahham spotted the vehicle and ordered to stop it. Both the driver and his companion turned out to be policemen, who were immediately arrested and the vehicle was impounded.

By A Saleh