(MENAFN- Arab Times) Ahmed Al-Jarallah – Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
IS the boycott of 11 MPs from the recent parliamentary session in which the new Cabinet took the constitutional oath a part of democracy? In fact, isn't it a violation of the concepts of democracy and an evidence of rejection of the prerogatives of authorities?
Not a single new government in any of the democratic countries can start its mission before taking the constitutional oath. What happened in the last parliamentary session never happens in any of the proper democratic countries around the world. It only happens in Kuwait where parliamentary deliberations violate the rules followed in other countries.
The parliamentary attitude in Kuwait is focused mainly on blackmailing the executive authority. This was clearly evident in the recent oath-taking session. Although the new government has not even started its tasks, it is being judged by the MPs. How can the boycott of these MPs from the oath-taking session, which is a purely constitutional procedure, be regarded in any way other than an attempt to terrorize the Cabinet in advance?!
The MPs who withdrew were aiming to impose their will on the government and force it to cancel the court verdicts that were issued against a number of violators of law. They wanted the executive authority to overstep the judiciary independence and not show any consideration to the rule of separation among the authorities.
It is a dangerous infraction, indicating that they either do not understand the prerogatives of each authority or are forcing the government to deviate from the right path of governance by submitting to illegal parliamentary directives that have nothing to do with the Kuwaiti Constitution.
The bold move to meddle in the prerogatives of the authorities was due to the errors of past governments that used to fear questioning such that they became uncoordinated whenever there was a signal indicating possible grilling.
They would rush to tender resignation in order to prevent questioning, knowing well that its aspects are unconstitutional. The action resulted in the crippling of some laws to such an extent that the National Assembly was prevented from approving some regional and international agreements for the past decades. This is because those agreements restrain factional lawmakers from breaking laws affecting sisterly and friendly countries. For instance, because they insult leaders and attack symbols of those countries, the GCC Security Pact is the main among those they refused to sign.
The governments' weakness has led to suspension of projects and paralysis of institutions. Frivolity with the public funds has reached the stage of programmed looting by some lawmakers who legalize constitutional and legal prohibitions in the process of getting votes and electoral openings. They are not satisfied with dictating to the government such that they crawl to cross the judicial border through intimidation and bullying. However, this fort resisted incessant attacks with credibility and independence.
Unfortunately, the fate of Kuwaiti democracy has been fluttering since almost 56 years due to wrong perception of the role of a lawmaker who should be a role model in applying the Constitution, and behaving as a superintendent and lawmaker. He should not resort to blackmail under any situation. He should not misuse his position to serve as a tool for bringing down a minister who does not execute his request. He should not be armed with disquieting news and falsehood under the protection of political blocs that set personal agendas which are absolutely not in line with the national interest. We saw how the past governments started imposing the law on everyone, especially when it came to the matter of citizenship. We saw how the windstorm erupted to such an extent that some MPs attempted to attack state institutions.
The gravity of the situation worsened with the issuance of the verdicts in the State Security case related to the storming of the Parliament building. The MPs upped their game of blackmail and intimidation in confronting the government, setting themselves above the law and all the authorities as though they are better than the rest of the people of Kuwait.
Today is a different day. In fact it should have been like this. The new government is free of political parties' components. It has confrontational powers within the constitutional framework and is free from the limitations that can subject it to blackmail. It now has an opportunity to work things out according to its programs, and not work for any MP.
It is high time that we expose the reasons behind these lawmakers' campaigns, those responsible for them and those inciting them so that these people do not continue working against democracy and the concept of institutional work. Any underestimation in putting an end to this type of blackmail will only signal the beginning of the destruction of nations. With that being said, this new government should be given enough time to carry out its mandate; only then can we judge it. But if the parliamentary frivolity and games continue, let the solution be the dissolution of the Parliament so that Kuwait can rest from saboteurs who are disguised as democrats.
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
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