Crisis-mongers are upsetting Kuwaitis: MP

Manama: Kuwaitis have come to resent democracy because of the seemingly inexorable penchant of Members of Parliament for crisis talks, a lawmaker has warned.

"The people are really tired of the crisis language used by some MPs and they now dislike democracy because of strange attitudes adopted by some of the lawmakers in our parliament," Massouma Al Mubarak said.

"We have a long development process that needs our immediate and full attention, yet we have people who are concerned mainly with music in schools, women's veil and a private cheque," she said.

Education Minister Dr Moudhi Al Humoud has come under fire and has been charged with causing fitna (tumult) in Kuwait by Salafi MPs for allowing government schools to offer music courses.

MP Mohammad Al Hayef last week said the courses were a blatant violation of personal rights and of Islamic values and ethics and pledged to quiz the minister if she did not drop the courses.

The parliament was also bitterly divided over a constitutional court decision not to force women officials to wear the veil, allowing two female MPs to keep their seats.

Cheque

In the third case of recent tension between the parliament and the government, an MP is likely to face charges of violating bank secrecy regulations and displaying during a parliamentary session an alleged private cheque signed by the prime minister for the benefit of a former lawmaker.

"As MPs keen on democracy, we will not allow our people to [lose hope] about its merits…," Massouma said.

"I had never thought that we will see the day when an MP is talking about grilling a minister over music courses…

"Pushing for [questions] over this matter amounts to straining relations between the parliament and the government," she said.