MAKKAH: Talat Sabiq, one of the candidates running in the elections for the board of directors of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), yesterday dismissed as baseless media reports quoting a chamber official that he had withdrawn from the contest.
“What Saad Al-Qurashi said and published in a local Arabic newspaper does not apply to me. Al-Qurashi does not represent me. God willing, I am contesting the election,” Sabiq told Arab News.
Sabiq added that he wanted the election to be conducted under the supervision of the Makkah governor’s office, instead of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
“I, with 13 other candidates, have submitted a memorandum to the governor’s office that the elections be held under the supervision of the governorate and not under the Ministry of Commerce,” Sabiq said.
In all, 28 businessmen and two businesswomen are contesting elections for 10 seats on the MCCI board. Initially, there were 100 men and 11 women candidates.
All women candidates except two withdrew their candidacies, citing a total lack of cooperation on the part of the chamber officials. Zahrah Qadah and Amina Zawawi are the only two women who are still in the running. Zawawi yesterday denied reports quoting Al-Qurashi that she had withdrawn her candidacy.
Affirming his support to the women candidates, Sabiq said, “As a mark of support and encouragement to women candidates, I will meet the expense of their elections from my own pocket.”
He added that some of the women candidates who withdrew their applications wanted to change their decision and return to the running though it is too late now.
He also feared that there would be attempts to tamper with the voting process in different ways, including identity thefts of women members.
