RIYADH: The Shoura Council will next Wednesday discuss a proposal to amend the Anti-bribery Law after the Security Committee recommended it.
The sponsors of the proposal include Dr. Latifa Al-Shaalan and Atta Al Sabaiti, who are current Shoura members, and Dr. Haya Al-Manea, a former member.
Local media reported that sources within the Security Committee, which examined the proposal, said that the proposal had been submitted for the last 14 months.
The proposal includes the amendment of a number of articles, in addition to the proposed new articles on the Anti-bribery Law issued 27 years ago.
One of the most important new articles proposed is that the provisions of the law “apply to employees of private companies and institutions within the Kingdom.”
The proponents justified this by not including private sector employees in the current Anti-bribery Law, despite the considerable damage caused by bribery in the private sector, which indirectly falls on the state, thus weakening the structure and fundamentals of the national economy.
The sponsors added several new articles to the statute including one that states that criminal investigation officers may, in case of suspicion regarding the integrity of the employee, take the necessary action to incriminate him.
Regarding the rationale for the proposal, the sponsors mentioned the need to reduce the growing phenomenon of administrative corruption, favoritism and social relations at the expanse of efficiency, and reduce exploitation of the job for illegal gains.
