Mutual confidence plays an important role in strengthening relations between the people and their government. Fulfilling promises made by governments and leaders, especially those having to do with democracy and political, economic and social reform, is the best way to build confidence. Those who have followed the reform movement in the Kingdom know that the Saudi government has fulfilled its promises. This is a tradition set by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd who has introduced a number of reforms, including the Shoura Council itself.
Last year, the Saudi leadership announced its plans to expand popular participation in the decision-making process and hold elections to select half the members of municipal councils. The Kingdom recently issued the rules and regulations for those elections. This is a positive development that will strengthen confidence between the Saudi people and the government. It will also promote democracy in administration and government and I hope that the elections will be expanded gradually to other councils — such as the Shoura and the regional consultative councils — since half their members could be elected and the remaining half appointed by the government.
Ten years have passed since we began our experiment with appointed Shoura and regional councils. The time has come for the next phase when we should hold elections to choose half the members of the two groups.
The powers given to these councils must also be expanded as they should become decision-making bodies instead of only consultative ones and must be allowed to look into all matters, not only those which are formally passed to them.
The decision to hold municipal elections has been widely applauded by the Saudi people as well as by international organizations.
My question, however, is why women are not allowed to take part in the elections. Are we going to see a new bylaw outlining women’s participation? If the issue is still under consideration, why don’t we give women the right to vote before having the right to contest the polls. And this is a right given to her by the international human rights charter as well as by the National Human Rights Association (NHRA), which allowed her to become a member of the body. The Saudi leadership has approved the committee’s regulations. The NHRA has launched its activities with the participation of women.
Businesswomen are allowed to elect board members of chambers of commerce and industry. I hope the same principles will be applied to municipal councils and women will be given the right to vote to assist in the selection of the best candidate. In future, they should also be allowed to contest the elections.
Another question related to municipal councils is whether they will have decision-making powers or whether they will only be concerned with municipal affairs. In France and Britain, for example, municipal councils play an effective role in city administration.
In the past, municipal councils in both Makkah and Jeddah exercised real power before they were put under the control of mayors and municipal chairmen. In my opinion, municipal councils ought to be totally independent of official authorities; this will help them take independent decisions without outside intervention. While complimenting the government’s decision to hold elections, I call upon all qualified people, including businessmen, to contest them in order to serve the country rather than for any personal gain.
