Citizens
Term Shoura Council�s Expansion Plan
as Positive Move
Javid Hassan,
Arab News |
RIYADH, 26
January 2005 � Members of the Shoura Council,
Saudi citizens and Arab intellectuals have
welcomed the Saudi government�s decision to
expand the membership of the Shoura Council.
They said the move underlines the Kingdom�s
firm commitment to implement economic and
political reforms and enable the citizens to
participate in the decision-making process.
They were
commenting on the statement of Prince Sultan,
second deputy premier and minister of defense
and aviation, that the council would be enlarged
in three months from its current strength of 120
to 150 members, and it would be armed with more
powers. This will mark a significant step toward
moving the council beyond its advisory role at
present.
Pointing out
that the council�s powers will be increased,
Prince Sultan was also quoted by Al-Riyadh
newspaper as saying that nearly two-thirds of
the members in the coming term will be new. He
pledged that all tribes and villages would be
represented in the enlarged Shoura Council.
Describing the
move as a step in the right direction, Usama
Al-Kurdi, member of the Shoura Council, told
Arab News: �It will add tremendous expertise
in the membership and also allow far-flung areas
to be represented.�
Fahad Al-Deghaither,
a senior executive in the Savola Group, said the
expanded council might give representation to
the rural and tribal areas of the Kingdom.
�The move comes ahead of the forthcoming
municipal elections whose aim is also to provide
a platform to the people in making their voice
heard. It is a significant step designed to set
the stage for elections to the council at a
later stage.�
Saad Abdulrahman
Al-Hagan, a government official, expressed
similar views. He said the move was intended to
give representation to the people across the
Kingdom�s demographic spectrum.
Welcoming the
decision, Motasher Al-Murshid, financial
consultant, said due representation should also
be given to social scientists in the context of
the social and educational issues as well as the
future needs of Saudi society. �The current
Shoura Council has done extremely well in terms
of economic reforms. The proposed move to expand
its membership should address the future needs
of the Kingdom in the context of the challenges
that loom ahead, such as addressing the concerns
of the poor and under-privileged group as well
as tackling unemployment,� he said.
Asked which
segments of the intelligentsia should be given
representation in the expanded membership of the
council, Al-Murshid said the current membership
has adequate expertise in terms of economic and
security interests. �What we need is expertise
in terms of future planning, for example, for
the Kingdom�s accession to the World Trade
Organization. We also need members who are
experts in the functioning of small and medium
enterprises who can give the benefit of their
experience in making SMEs competitive in a
global environment.�
Calling it a
�positive development,� Mohammad Al-Omar,
executive director of a specialized
communications company, said the empowerment of
the council could go a long way in giving voice
to the people in the decision-making process.
�It�s more than just a move to embellish
political activity in the country. It could
prepare the ground for making the council an
elected body, even if it is partially to start
with,� he added.
Originally
published in Arab News, January 26, 2005.
Reprinted with permission.
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