Now that we have officially acknowledged there is poverty in the country and taken some practical steps to fight it, let us admit that the road ahead may prove very difficult. In order to reach our objective, we must first know who lives below the poverty line; and obviously, this means applying the test of nationality to distinguish Saudis from non-Saudis.
The Kingdom attracts many poor from both Muslim and non-Muslim states. Our need for foreigners to work here will continue and they may become indispensable unless the people of this country show some courage and some willingness to do jobs other than white-collar ones.
As long as we continue to rely on foreign workers, this will leave the way open for laborers, plumbers, electricians, barbers, cooks, laundry and factory workers and others to bring in their families with the help of their sponsors, who never hesitate to break the law. The result is large additions to the numbers of poor already in the country.
At present whole neighborhoods in Riyadh and other urban centers are populated by the poor from Asia and Africa with families they can barely support. This increases pressure on public services. The solution to this is not confined to focusing on poor neighborhoods where Saudis live but must also be amending and tightening the recruitment and visa laws.
New legislation should be enacted along with tougher restrictions on granting visas for work and visit and for bringing in families. Those unable to support a family should not be allowed to bring in wives and children. The Labor Office and the Recruitment Office must work to curb this influx of foreigners.
We cannot allow our sentiments to determine our behavior. The murky situation in which it is impossible to differentiate between poor Saudis and poor non-Saudis must end. Otherwise, conditions will deteriorate further. We must be frank with ourselves when addressing the problem of poverty and must not give in to sentiment. Addressing domestic problems should not come at the expense of solutions to the problems facing the poor.
Checking the influx of poor from Asia and Africa does not mean we are relinquishing our duty to help the needy all over the Muslim world. Our assistance should reach them in their countries; we should not wait until they come here seeking help. This view must not be interpreted to mean the Kingdom is disregarding its Arab and Islamic obligations. It must be viewed from the perspective of a country seeking solutions to its domestic problems before these become even more complicated and insoluble.
— Arab News Local Press 30 October 2003
