They said that the new procedures will give judges the power to order defaulters to pay off at least some of the check’s value if they have the money.

The sources added that judges would have the right to reveal the financial assets of those who issue bounced checks.

They said with the new procedures, to be implemented soon, there would not be any need for court sessions to listen to the complaints of those who receive bad checks.

Majed Garoub, chairman of the lawyers’ committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), said legislation was needed to make checks binding deeds that have to be honored immediately.

Garoub called for harsher punishments for those who write bad checks. He estimated their total value of bad checks awaiting decision to be around SR4 billion at present.

He, however, said the value of bounced checks has dropped according to latest figures from the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.

“A writer of a bad check should be considered a criminal but he is not under current rules,” he added.

Meanwhile, Nabeel Al-Mubarak, manager of the Saudi Credit Bureau, said the number of the bounced checks dropped by about 10 percent during the first quarter of this year -- 36,700 compared to 40,600 over the same period last year.

He, however, said the value of bad checks has increased from SR1.6 billion to SR1.7 billion during the same period.

Under current rules, anyone who writes a bad check may be subject to a three-year jail sentence and a fine of SR50,000 or both.