KUWAIT CITY, June 9: After the launching of the sustainability program and government's commitment towards cooperation and transparency regarding the financial status of the country, MPs hinted on the possibility of resorting to interpellation if talks on the issue are deemed too slow.

Reasons include delayed or ambiguous replies to parliamentary queries and action on an issue that has been neglected by the concerned minister, while others simply want the minister to respond to questions in front of the Kuwaiti public. Such is the case with MP Ahmed Al-Fadel who revealed that he was on the track of questioning Minister of Social Affairs and Labour and State Minister for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh with the intention of resorting to interpellation. He explained the interpellation did not have to end with a no-confidence vote, describing it as 'a form of intensified questioning.' Instead of the questioning process being between the minister and the MP only, the plan was to do it in front of the National Assembly and the Kuwaiti public, he added.

The MP pointed out that Kuwait's rank in the corruption index was discussed in a meeting with several ministers and MPs. He said the meeting resulted in fruitful conclusions although it should have been held earlier, so he decided not to push through with the grilling of the minister. 'My interpellation was never for the purpose of aggravation. The meeting yielded positive results and I was satisfied with the government's promise to find solutions,' he concluded.

Some MPs expressed their wish to reach a point of understanding with ministers; while a letter to the Public Authority for Anti-Corruption stressed the need to step up and take a stronger stance on the issue, along with another letter to Transparency International disapproving Kuwait's low ranking in the corruption index. On the other hand, MP Khaleel Abul announced that he has been preparing an interpellation request against Minister of Finance Nayef Al-Hajraf and he will submit it on Sunday if he finalizes the document.

The subject matter of the MP's interpellation has not been disclosed. Considering that the agenda of the National Assembly is full and the lack of time, the interpellation — if submitted on Sunday — will be tabled for discussion in the next legislative term, unless the Secretariat General regards it as a priority

By Ahmed Al-Naqeeb Arab Times Staff

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