In his recent address to the Shoura Council, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd outlined two very important issues that put the country’s political scene on the threshold of a new era. The terms “political reform” and “popular involvement” represented a major departure in the country’s political course. It is a sign of the strong desire for change, especially after the Sept. 11 attacks. Circumstances keep pressing for change whether we like it or not.
Some regard political reform and popular engagement as a precursor for genuine and effective change, especially in areas like the economy, education and administration. Reform is a prerequisite for the fight against corruption and for freedom of expression and other rights.
Attempts to introduce reform have always clashed with widely accepted local beliefs that dilute the effect of change to produce superficial measures that barely scratch the surface but never penetrate deeper to produce substantive change. The obstacles facing reform have been in place a long time, but with time these will slowly erode and give way to the inevitable.
Two important factors, geography and time, greatly influence reform, which can be likened to medicine. If given on time while the disease is still in its early stages it will be effective and strengthen the immunity of the body.
Considering the royal speech as a government program to be implemented by the Council of Ministers is a move forward. What is needed now is a mechanism and timetable to ensure implementation in a manner that produces the desired results.
Reform requires the restructuring of all three powers, the judiciary, legislative and executive. The Council of Ministers itself must undergo reform, and this calls for the engagement of national powers; thinkers, intellectuals reformers.
It is a comprehensive project not merely confined to the rebuilding of government institutions. Such institutionalized effort calls for everyone to contribute. For any popular engagement to be effective it depends on the individuals involved, the targets set and the limits defined for such engagement.
Arab News From the Local Press 31 May 2003
