RIYADH, 3 February 2005 — Vote mongers who are brokering vote buyouts for interested candidates are trying to gain a foothold in Riyadh in the run-up to the Feb. 10 municipal elections.
They are invading some candidates’ websites and e-mail addresses with offers to secure a substantial number of votes for the candidate in return for a certain amount of money.
Arab News learned of these fishy deals recently in an interview with a young Saudi intellectual and technocrat who is contesting the elections.
Bishr Bakheet, a graduate from Ohio, USA, has an MA in engineering management from Japan’s well-known KEIO University. He is a professional banker, a financial analyst and investment adviser. He has lived and worked for the past 20 years in the US, Japan, and Europe.
“I was shocked to receive so many e-mail messages from unknown characters...and I am sure the names listed are bogus. They have either put their mobile numbers — and it’s probably a SAWA mobile number — or have included their hotmail IDs, asking me if I am interested in buying votes, telling me: ‘You win, we win, we are all winners,’” he said.
“What I have done is simply cut them and attach them to a fax message and send it to authorities,” he added.
“I know for sure that authorities are cracking down on such cases,” he commented.
His slogan, “every riyal should be accounted for”, speaks for itself. Having worked as a banker and financial analyst, and an investment adviser with world reputable institutions in Europe and the US, he is keen on utilizing his experience in serving his country.
“I am after accountability,” he said boldly.
He told Arab News that he is not running for personal interests or to fulfill a sense of ego.
To prove his sincerity of motives, he said that he would never accept money as a candidate and even if he was obliged to be given a salary, it would go to charity. “I would refuse to accept this salary and give it to charity as I would not see myself as an employee of the ministry but I was hired by the people,” he said.
In his electioneering campaign, Bakheet is up-fronting three main issues: Financial accountability, planning, and supervisory role.
“Who cares about the opinions of people and their needs,” he said. “When was the last time we saw a questionnaire or an opinion poll directed to the people living in the city of Riyadh asking them what they want in their city?”
He called for a human-friendly Riyadh that can be attained by proper urban planning assisted by sociologists.
The human factor, as well as cultural aspects, are equally important to financial aspects, he believes.
He called for a sensible interpretation and actual implementation of a bylaw set forth by the ministry that the municipality of Riyadh should service the needs of the elderly, homeless, and people with special needs.
A great part of the articles and clauses of the relating decree has never been fully implemented, he said. “Go to the south of Riyadh and see the deteriorating situation of some national and historical buildings,” he commented.
The negligence of historical buildings is unfortunately nationwide and is not only in Riyadh city, he added.
“Having lived 20 years in Europe and the US, I think we can learn from other different cultures. We can take what we need from them and reject what we do not want. We can learn a lot from them on how they administer their cities,” he said.
Bakheet also mentioned the importance of members and officials in the municipality of leaving their offices to go and visit the common people in the streets and look first hand at their problems and concerns. He said that such a practice existed in Islamic history and gave an example of the caliph Omar ibn Abdul Aziz who was a follower of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and who was known for dressing up casually and visiting people in their neighborhoods without them knowing that he was the emir of Muslims.
The candidate said that elections were a totally new experience for Saudis and thus this first round will not be free of errors. He also said that the greatest fear is that people choose the wrong candidates who are mainly after their own interest.
“We should never let the elections end in failure or it will be a disaster and a lost opportunity,” he stressed.
