كشÙÂت مصادر مطلعة ÙÂيكتلة الوÙÂاق النيابية عنأنالكتلة ستتقدم خلال أيام بطلب استجواب وزير شئونمجلس الوزراء الشيخ Ø£ØÂمد بنعطية الله آل خليÙÂØ© بشأنالمخالÙÂات المالية التيأوردها تقرير مثير نشره مستشار ØÂكوميسابق، وأكده تقرير رسمينشر ÙÂيالأسبوع الماضيعلى موقع للإنترنت. وأشارت مصادر ÙÂيجمعية الوÙÂاق إلى أنه «وبØÂسب اللائØÂØ© الداخلية لمجلس النواب ÙÂإنأقل عدد منالنواب يمكنه تقديم طلب الاستجواب هو 5 نواب على أنيقدم الطلب للرئيس لعرضه على جدول أعمال أولى الجلسات التيتليتقديم طلب الاستجواب لإØÂالته إلى اللجنة المختصة»، موضØÂØ© أن«المادة تعنيأنتقديم الطلب قبل الثلثاء المقبل يعنيأنطلب الاستجواب سيكونعلى جدول أعمال الجلسة المقبلة».
الوسط :: ٢/٥/٢٠٠٧
Following the “official unofficial” publication of the internal investigation into the Bandargate scandal, Al-Wefaq political society finally found its collective cajones and is considering interrogating the Minister of the Prime Minister’s Court Affairs Ahmed Attiyatallah in parliament to ascertain his involvement into the scandal, especially as he was the one fully featured in the report published by the Gulf Centre for Democratic Development (GCDD).
According to parliament’s bylaws, 5 members need to submit the application for interrogation of a minister and as Al-Wefaq affiliated members in parliament number 18, they should have more than enough to support this application.
What they will do with it – especially as the report above suggests that they will exclusively concentrate on financial irregularities perpetrated by the minister – is a different matter and I anxiously await what and how they will treat the subject. I think they have one single chance at this, so it is critical that they go along a measured and very well studied path for the questioning which might precipitate this cabinet’s dissolution and fall, as if the government wants to avoid this saga, they will have to dissolve the cabinet, much like what happened in Kuwait recently.
We have a saying in Bahrain: “If you don’t steal, there is not need to be afraid.” Based on this, and as Ahmed Attiyatallah has continued to maintain his innocence and did not voluntarily resign from his critical government positions, he should submit to the will of parliament and present himself, head held high of course, to be interrogated.
I’m not holding much hope that anything will come out of this, this is just posturing by Al-Wefaq before the dismal conclusion of their first session in office and they want to appear as heroes to their supporters. It’s just showmanship. Especially when you consider that this demand for interrogation was publicly promised by their leader on TV even before winning the election but all what we’ve witnessed since they came to power is the clamouring and accepting government handouts and looking photogenic in news reports with the country’s leaders.
I’ll be generous; however, and wait without the benefit of baited breath on what will transpire over the next few weeks.
Comments
I have the exact feelings, but I just hope they prove me wrong this time.
no no Mahmood…
I think this is an excellent opportunity (a test if you may) to know whether Al Wefaq really means business in the parliament or they’re as useless as a fly.
Of course, you can’t completely blame them if they can’t do anything. After all, half the parliament is either corrupt or corrupt. I do think; though, that they could’ve done more.
hmm, I doubt this will go through really, I hope it does and wish for once we see some results.
if this actually goes through we will see many other’s under real investigation, well, that should be the first step on the way to slowly eliminate corruption.