By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Several MPs separately submitted proposals on Sunday to improve the living standards of citizens. MP Saleh Ashour proposed that the government should purchase consumer loans of Kuwaitis by simply deducting the cost-of-living allowance paid every month. Ashour said he proposed the draft law because of the difficult economic conditions, the sharp rise in prices and rising inflation.

MP Mubarak Al-Tasha called for raising the cost-of-living allowance and abolishing high interest rates imposed by the pension agency. MP Khalil Al-Saleh proposed the cost-of-living allowance should be increased to be in line with the rise in the rate of inflation. He also called for raising the minimum wage for pensioners and increasing wages of citizens annually on the basis of the rise in inflation.

The National Assembly will meet on Tuesday to debate and pass the state budget for the 2022/2023 fiscal year, which has been delayed for several months because of the elections. Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun sent out invitations for MPs to attend the session following a meeting of the Assembly office with three ministers.

Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Ammar Al-Ajmi said the draft budget is ready and was sent to the Assembly. The budget is forecast to post the first surplus since 2014-2015 as a result of a sharp increase in oil revenues after prices of oil skyrocketed. Oil revenues make up around 90 percent of Kuwait's revenues.

Meanwhile, drug use, bribery, cheating (in business and tests) and wasta will be the focus of topics addressed by the parliamentary negative phenomena committee, the panel's head MP Mohammed Hayef said. The committee is set to meet this week to discuss these topics, he added.

Also on Sunday, MP Abdulkarim Al-Kandari called on the government to issue the necessary bylaws for a legislation that stipulates to amend the demographic structure in the country. Expatriates make up around 70 percent of Kuwait's estimated 4.5 million population and the previous National Assembly in cooperation with the government issued the legislation to reduce the number of expats on a gradual basis.

But Kandari said that the previous government did not issue the necessary bylaws, although the law was issued in 2020. He vowed he will continue to follow up on the issue. Kandari last week proposed that all expat staff and advisors working in the National Assembly be replaced with Kuwaitis as part of efforts to create jobs for citizens.

MP Mohammad Al-Huwailah proposed that all expat staff in the foreign ministry and the oil sector be replaced with Kuwaitis. New Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Abdulaziz Al-Mojel ordered ministry officials to coordinate with the interior ministry to deport expat contractors who violate the construction charter and fail to remove construction debris. Also, five lawmakers submitted a draft law stipulating that the Kuwait Development Fund will not offer loans to foreign countries without the prior approval of the National Assembly.