KUWAIT: Islamist
opposition MP Mohammad Hayef yesterday filed to grill Finance Minister Nayef
Al-Hajraf over refusal to abolish interest on pensioner loans amid more threats
by lawmakers to grill ministers. Acting National Assembly Speaker Oudhah
Al-Ruwaie, who received a copy of the grilling, said it has been listed for
debate on the agenda of the opening session of the new assembly term on October
29. The debate of the grilling however can be delayed for two more weeks if the
minister asks for that.

The grilling is
based on allegations that the minister has violated the constitution by
refusing to abolish interest rates on cash payments given by the pension agency
in exchange for part of the pensioners' salary. Islamist MPs have been pressing
the government to either abolish the interest rates or provide such facility in
accordance with Islamic Sharia law that forbids usury.

A number of
Islamist MPs have expressed their support for the grilling and demanded that
the minister should change the rules to be in line with Islamic law. MP Adel
Al-Damkhi called on the minister to make the necessary changes to pave the way
for all pensioners to benefit from the facility. MPs Mohammad Al-Mutair and Hamdan
Al-Azmi said they will support the grilling.

But
pro-government MP Ahmad Al-Fadhl criticized the grilling saying it violates the
law. Hayef had grilled the finance minister over similar issues towards the end
of the past assembly term but did not file a no-confidence motion.

In the meantime,
MP Riyadh Al-Adasani said that he will file two grilling against the ministers
of interior and finance at the start of the new assembly term and could be even
before that. The grillings, based on alleged violations, are expected to be
some of the largest in the assembly history, Adasani said.

MP Bader Al-Mulla
said yesterday that he has agreed with MP Thamer Al-Suwait to file a joint
grilling against Minister of Public Works Jenan Bushehri about roads and
housing. Mulla complained that the minister of oil and the prime minister
appear to have decided to ignore the issue of violations at Vietnam refinery,
owned jointly by Kuwait, and renewed threats to file to grill them both.

By B Izzak