MP Mohammad Hayef

KUWAIT: In a series of posts he made on his Twitter account, MP Mohammad Hayef stressed that MPs and the government belong to the same country and that they both serve the country's greater good regardless of any electoral benefits or gains. He also stressed that MPs have no fears of dissolving the current parliament because they have already done their part in so many issues such as citizenship withdrawals. Hayef urged his colleagues to be united and avoid making individual decisions about grilling motions or any other issues.

"The opposition must have one word," he said, adding that opposition members should cooperate and consult with each other. Hayef also noted that an opposition group consisting of 26 MPs (which was formed last December at MP Mohammed Al-Muttair's Diwan) met this week to discuss the grilling motion filed against Information Minister Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, stressing that 'Shura' (consultation) is a main principle in Islam and that people are stronger together.

Commenting on the citizenships withdrawal issue, Hayef hailed the efforts of Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah in this regard, and stressed that MPs have the right to call for a meeting with all parties involved to discuss various issues. "The opposition is in pursuit of all means of reform in order to solve the citizenships issue and amend the elections law," he underlined, pointing out that each step forward made by the government in this direction will be met with two from MPs, which implies willingness for full cooperation.

MPs' immunities

The parliament's legislative committee is scheduled to meet at 9:30 am today in order to discuss lifting the immunity of four MPs; Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabae, Dr Jam'an Al-Harbash and Mohammed Barrak Al-Mutair in relation with investigating cases number 946/2011 and 383/2011 in which they are facing charges of breaking into the parliament's building. The committee will also discuss a fourth request to lift the immunity of MP Ahmad Al-Fadhl in relation to court cases.

The committee will discuss amendments proposed to law number 111/2015 (the juveniles law) to raise the juvenile's legal age back to 18. Meanwhile, the parliament's educational committee will meet to discuss the investigations made concerning unaccredited degrees and certificates. The discussion will be attended by Minister of Education and Higher Education Mohammad Al-Fares.

Budgets

Separately, chairman of the parliament's budgets and final statements committee MP Adnan Abdulsamad said that the committee met recently in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh to discuss the budgets of ministries and government bodies for 2017-2018. Abdulsamad added that the ministry explained that what was discussed was only a draft of the budgets because some data were incomplete, but stressed that the ministry will respect the deadline for sending the budget law by Jan 31, 2017.

The finance ministry is still studying international oil markets' developments to assess the ideal oil price to be used in the budget, especially since oil prices have improved after the OPEC recently decided to cut down oil production to increase oil prices. Accordingly, the price to be included in the new budget is likely to increase to over $35 per barrel.

Khor Abdullah

Iraqi political analyst Ehsan Al-Shemmari said that raising the subject of Khor Abdullah at the present time is considered a 'personal criticism' of Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abbadi because of the military victories he had been achieving in Mosul. "Raising this topic now is only a part of an early political and electoral conflict," he stressed, adding that many bodies were trying to distract public attention with certain topics and issues to divert attention from military victories in Nineveh and Western Mosul.

Shemmari's statements were made after Abbadi's office denied the Iraqi government's intention to give the Iraqi side of Khor Abdullah as a gift to Kuwait. Iraqi MP Alia Naseef had strongly criticized the Iraqi cabinet's vote on granting the body of water to Kuwait and described it as treason to Iraq.

By A Saleh, Staff Writer