Activist calls for efforts to maintain nation's unity

Manama: A prominent Kuwaiti activist has called for the consolidation of political and social unity to "prevent sleeping cells from weakening the country" and to "check growing immoral behaviour tendencies among young people".

"More tensions and bickering will erode the nation's cohesion and offer the lurking sleeping cells the opportunity to fulfil the anti-Kuwait goals set by foreign parties," Shaikha Fareeha Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, chairperson of the Supreme Committee of the Ideal Mother Award, said. "I strongly urge Kuwaitis and expatriates living in Kuwait not to heed rumours or news analyses presented by some foreign television channels that are piling up pressure on us to weaken the country," she said, without naming the foreign parties or channels.

Kuwait has witnessed a tense political standoff after lawmakers filed four cases to question ministers, including Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah, over alleged administrative and financial irregularities. The display of a copy of a personal cheque signed by Shaikh Nasser for a former MP compounded the situation and the premier announced that he was suing the MP for a breach of his private account.

Both the MPs and the ministers said that they were ready to be questioned and the parliament said that it would debate the merits of the four questioning cases in December after the Eid holidays.

However, with tension mounting amid speculation over various scenarios in the media about the future of Kuwait's democracy and openness, activists have voiced concern that the country could be heading towards a political and social crisis.