JEDDAH, 23 August 2004 — Election fever has gripped Saudi cities as prominent candidates, mostly businessmen, have started making preparations for campaigning ahead of the Kingdom’s civic polls, scheduled to be held in three phases from November.

A leading media firm in Riyadh, where the elections are to be held first, has received an offer of SR1.875 million ($500,000) from a businessman to organize his election campaign, Al-Watan reported yesterday.

The Arabic daily said the candidate was ready to increase or decrease the offer in accordance with campaign regulations, which are likely to be issued by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs within a few weeks.

The media company did not disclose the name of the businessman but ad executives believed that candidates contesting the polls would pour in some SR250 million on their campaigns.

Prominent personalities including a large number of businessmen have already expressed their interest to take part in the historic event aimed at electing half the members of 178 municipal councils in the Kingdom’s 13 regions.

Businessman Awad Al-Dossi, owner of Sahari Real Estate Establishment in Jeddah, has expressed his desire to contest the elections, which he described as a step in the right direction. He said the candidates should not be allowed to purchase votes.

Dr. Abdul Rahman Yamani, executive director of an oil service company, Khaled Al-Ghamdi and Bandar Al-Fehaid, both businessmen, are other possible contestants from Jeddah.

Muhammad Al-Salman, general manager of Al-Salman Company, said he had decided to contest elections.

“I consider the polls as a good opportunity to serve the nation,” he said. “I want to keep some of my election programs a secret,” he added.

Fahd Al-Odhaib, chairman of investment and tourism committees at the Qassim Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called the polls “a valuable gift” to Saudis from the leadership. “The candidates must use their expertise for the development of the country.”

Al-Odhaib said he has no plans to contest the elections.

“I am not running away from serving the nation. Instead, I want to give the chance to the most qualified candidates,” he said.

Abdul Aziz Al-Dahsh, director general of Yamamah Agricultural Company, is another potential candidate from Qassim. Dahsh expected more Qassim businessmen to join the fray.

Fifteen figures in Makkah including businessman Abdul Rahman Faqeeh, academic Rashid Al-Rajih, Adel Kaaki, Abdul Rahman Al-Subaie, Turki Ahmed Badr and Ziyad Farsy are to file their nominations.

According to a high-level source at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, members of the Shoura Council and regional councils can contest the polls. “The rules and regulations do not exempt them from either voting or contesting the elections,” the source said.

The ministry has already published the poll’s rules and regulations, which allow all Saudis aged 21 and above, except military men, to take part in the voting.

There is a heated debate in Riyadh whether or not businessmen will be allowed to contest the polls, according to the Okaz Arabic newspaper.

Fahd Al-Harbi said he feared rich people would dominate the polls as they are capable of paying campaign bills. He expressed reservations on allowing businessmen and chamber board members to contest the elections.

Adeeb ibn Muhammad Idrees, a businessman, said it was the right of businessmen to contest the polls, adding that they are “more experienced and capable” to serve the country. Ibrahim Al-Humaidan, a man of letters, urged everybody to extend their full support to the country’s first electoral experiment. “We have to prove that we deserve this right and we can represent our country with responsibility,” he added.

The elections are to be held in three phases with the Riyadh region going to polls in the first phase.

The second phase, to be conducted before the Haj season, will cover the Eastern Province as well as the Asir, Baha, Jizan and Najran regions. The third phase will be held after the Haj in Makkah, Madinah, Qassim, Al-Jouf, the Northern Border Region, Tabuk and Hail.