ABHA, 3 January — The new directors of the Abha Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) were announced yesterday after Monday’s election which was riven by conflicts.
With six seats, Al-Mustaqbil group, headed by the incumbent Chairman Abdullah Mubti, won a majority on the board. The opposition Al-Tatwir group managed to get only two seats.
The ministries of commerce and industry will each nominate two members to the board, bringing its total strength to 12.
The first meeting of the board will choose the new chairman and his deputy and the board’s representative to the Council of Saudi Chambers.
There was pandemonium in Monday’s election when a member of the Tatwir group abused the leader of the rival Mustaqbil group in the presence of hundreds of members waiting to cast their votes.
Police intervened to break up an ensuing fight, but as they failed to arrest the alleged troublemaker, the situation went from bad to worse. Calm was restored only after the governor’s office interfered.
More than 560 members cast their votes in the election.
