RIYADH, 13 May — Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, has urged the new Jeddah mayor, Abdullah Al-Muallami, to take special care of the weaker and poor sections of society.
In a letter to Mayor Al-Muallami, on the occasion of his appointment to the office, Crown Prince Abdullah asked the mayor to feel the needs of the poor and give them their due rights. It is they rather than the privileged sections who deserved care and attention, he added.
“They, more than the rich and the powerful, are our responsibility as well as yours within your jurisdiction and capability,” the crown prince said. He stressed the need for taking care of the public property and wealth.
Wishing the mayor success in his new assignment, the prince noted in his letter, “As the responsibility put on your shoulders is heavy and the confidence in you great, it is your duty to fulfill them in the best manner, pleasing to Allah first, and then work to serve the best interests of the people and the country.” He advised the mayor to discharge his duties honestly, sincerely and, above all, fearing God more than anyone else.
Al-Muallami said: “The crown prince’s letter is a historical document expressing the guidelines of the Kingdom’s leaders and in keeping with the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, the crown prince and Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation.”
“The caring for the poor and weak, fear of God and sense of responsibility, the hallmarks of the early four Rightly-Guided Caliphs of Islam and early Muslims are the foundations on which the Saudi government is established,” the mayor said commenting on the crown prince’s letter.
The mayor also hoped for full cooperation from his subordinates in the mayoralty.
He, however, did not disclose any future plans for Jeddah as he was in the process of gathering information before identifying the priorities.
The major problems faced by the city are the inadequate sewage system, insufficient drainage facilities during the rainy season and roads in poor conditions.
Meanwhile, Prince Abdullah will lead the Saudi delegation to the Third Consultative Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries which will meet tomorrow, Al-Watan newspaper reported yesterday.
The summit will discuss the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians and the unification of the customs tariff in addition to other important regional developments.
