The National Assembly

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Five opposition MPs yesterday submitted a draft law stipulating amendments to the Assembly's internal charter to allow the Assembly to convene sessions without the need for Cabinet ministers' attendance. Although MPs Musaed Al-Mutairi, Thamer Al-Suwait, Khaled Al-Otaibi, Bader Al-Dahoum and Shuaib Al-Muwaizri said that the constitution and the law do not state that the government presence is a precondition for convening Assembly sessions, they proposed to add a new article to the law clearly stating and clarifying this issue.

The amendment states that Assembly sessions can be held only after the attendance of more than half the members, without stating that the presence of ministers is essential. The Assembly has not held sessions for the past several weeks after the government resigned, and as the prime minister is taking time to form the new Cabinet. MP Ahmad Al-Hamad submitted a draft law yesterday calling to force foreign companies that have contracts with the government to employ Kuwaiti graduates.