Move to protect police from political struggles: lawyer

Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah

KUWAIT: Former defense minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah lodged a petition with the Attorney General yesterday demanding an investigation in allegations mentioned in a recent State Audit Bureau report about financial violations committed at the Interior Ministry during his time as interior minister, and estimated at 'millions of dinars'. Sheikh Mohammad does not object to being sent to the ministers' court in order to "reveal the truth in front of the Kuwaiti people and protect police from political struggles," his attorney Emad Al-Saif said in a statement yesterday. Sheikh Mohammad served as defense minister from December 2016 to December 2017. He served as the interior minister for over three years from August 2013 until he was reshuffled to the defense ministry in the previous cabinet. Sheikh Mohammad was left out of the current cabinet that was formed last month, and has since been appointed as an advisor in the Amiri Diwan.

Bedoons' rights

MP Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie said the National Assembly has draft laws ready to resolve the bedoons' (stateless people) issue and will be on the assembly's agenda. The draft laws include proposals to naturalize children of Kuwaiti women and at least 4,000 candidates a year, in addition to other laws to grant civil rights to bedoons, Subaie said, adding that the current solutions adopted by the government are temporary or partial. "We hope for a more determined approach and cooperation with the parliament to resolve this issue," he said.

Meanwhile, an informed legal source denied rumors posted recently on Twitter and suggested that the cassation court will discuss the case of storming the National Assembly. The source said there will not be a court session until after a memo is received from the prosecutor, which is yet to take place.

In the meantime, the parliament's human rights committee discuss on Sunday claims of rights violations committed inside prisons. Committee Chairman Adel Al-Demkhi said he received a letter from Committee Rapporteur Dr Waleed Al-Tabatabae, who is currently serving jail time after being convicted in the storming case, about the alleged mistreatment of a prisoner despite promises made by the Interior Ministry that no prisoners were being mistreated. MP Osama Al-Shaheen had posted on his Twitter account saying that he visited Tabatabae and his fellow jailed MP Dr Jamaan Al-Harbash along with other youth who were found guilty in the same case. He said all those jailed are in good shape and spirits.

Oil sector budget

The Supreme Petroleum Council plants to meet within two weeks after the cabinet officially announces its final formation, which is set to include the Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, Deputy Premier and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh, State Minister for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh, Central Bank Governor Dr Mohammad Al-Hashel, in addition to members from outside the government. His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah heads the council.

The oil budget for fiscal year 2018/2019 will be a top priority on the agenda of the council, according to oil sources' expectations. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the sources said that the capital expenses' volume of Kuwait Petroleum Cooperation (KPC) and its subsidiaries during the fiscal year 2018/2019 reach KD 30 billion, while operating expenses are KD 17 billion.

The total number of KPC and its subsidiaries' workers will reach 21,750 according to the approved cost, which is concentrated in the increase made by the establishment of the Kuwait Integrated Petrochemical Industries Company (KIPIC), which added nearly 450 employees, not including 200 employees will transferred from other KPC subsidiaries. KPC and its subsidiaries made KD 1.4 billion in net profits in the first half of fiscal year 2017/2018, with KD 5.5 billion from crude oil sales. Investment revenues increased by KD 700 million, the sources said.

Man stabs father

A citizen stabbed his father in the shoulder area in Jahra. The victim went to Naeem police station and lodged a complaint against his son as well as his former brother-in-law. The man explained that he went to hand over his two sons to his ex-wife after visitation, but a fight ensued between him and his former brother-in-law. His son, siding with his uncle, attacked him with a knife, he said.

By A Saleh