RIYADH, 31 January 2005 — The deputy minister of awqaf in the Ministry of Islamic Affairs is a candidate for municipal elections from the Riyadh region.
Saud ibn Talib told Arab News that he is contesting the seat from his constituency in Diraiyya, capital of the First Saudi State, as part of his mission to serve the people from that region and to transform it into a bridge “between its glorious past and a promising future symbolized by high technology and IT to take it into the 21st century.”
A total of 32 candidates have entered the electoral fray from this constituency. Ibn Talib has a vision: To transform historical Diraiyya into a tourist attraction, to develop its infrastructure, lure investments, and induct IT in aid of its technological development. “I would also like to promote the traditional handicrafts of the Kingdom and create job opportunities for nationals in the area.”
In order to run his campaign on professional lines, the deputy minister has signed a contract with Rawnaa for Specialized Communications to allow his message to reach across Diraiyya. Already, he has a solid track record to underpin his election campaign.
A social luminary from his region, he hails from a family known for its distinguished services to the people — from building mosques and schools to health centers and other infrastructural facilities.
Spelling out his vision, the deputy minister said Diraiyya has rich tourism potential which he would like to exploit. It has a population of 20,000 that contains the seeds of hope — hope for a promising future through education, health care, science and technology.
“My campaign speeches are based on the shape of things to come. And my media campaign is direct and straightforward with none of the frills and special effects that mark the electoral campaigns of other candidates. So it goes straight to people’s hearts.”
Speaking on behalf of his company, Muhammad Al-Omar, executive director of Rawnaa, said the thrust of their PR campaign is to let the facts speak for themselves without embellishing them in any way. “Other candidates have placed advertisements in the local newspapers promising the electorate that each vote means a house, cleaner environment, and other exaggerated claims. This is a tall promise that will be short on delivery. We are running a professional campaign on behalf of our client promising nothing more and nothing less.”
