Oman warns staff against graft

Muscat: Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed has urged government sector employees to put the state before personal gains while performing their official duties or face the consequences.

Addressing the opening of the annual session of the Council of Oman on Tuesday in Muscat, the Omani leader said that those who fail to perform their duties in the interest of the state and its subjects would be punished.

"If they [government employees] stray from the right path and consider the job as a means to achieving personal gains, influence and power and they linger in carrying out their duties in complete honesty and dedication," he said, continuing, "they should be held accountable and legal procedures should be taken against them in accordance with the principles of justice upon which we have laid down the pillars of rule."

Also stressing the need for good governance, the Omani leader said: "Good government performance in the different sectors, serving the country and citizens with honesty and dedication and putting public interest over all other considerations are the necessary pillars for any sustainable development."

Constant revision

"While we commend the government's performance, he went on to add, "we at the same time wish to stress the need for a constant revision of the state's administrative system."