MUSCAT, 17 November 2003 — Sheikh Abdullah ibn Ali Al-Qatabi, who begins his fifth successive term as president of the Majlis Al-Shoura, Oman’s elected lower house of Parliament, has welcomed the Oct. 4 elections as “a historic exercise” and said they were transparent and free from intervention.
The Shoura elections were the first full election in Oman’s history. All citizens aged 21 and above including women were eligible to vote as against a quarter of the population in 2000.
“The election for the Majlis Al-Shoura’s fifth term were free and fair and represented a turning point in the march of the Shoura’s progress,” the former diplomat said. He added the 83-member house, including two women, would start its regular session today.
He said the fact that 34 percent of the elected members were postgraduates or graduates and 30 percent have higher secondary school certificates augured well for the future of the process of political liberalization initiated 13 years ago in accordance with the Basic Law, Oman’s first written constitution, which was promulgated in 1996.
In an interview with the state-run Oman News Agency, Al-Qatabi said 50 percent of the elected members had experience in administration and private business, while the remaining 50 percent comprised sheikhs and other dignitaries, lawyers, teachers and engineers.
“The new majlis, a combination of the old and the new, with diverse qualifications and experiences and belonging to various age groups, represents the entire spectrum of Omani society,” he said.
His remarks came ahead of the sultanate’s 33rd National Day tomorrow. Festivities have already started countrywide.
Al-Qatabi said a royal decree recently increased the term of the house to four years from three and expanded its responsibilities in the field of revision of draft laws, development plans and the state budget.
