JEDDAH, 4 November 2005 — This year’s Eid has been given a fillip with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah awarding Saudis working for government departments a 15 percent pay rise. Many see it as a positive sign and indication of a new step in the development of Saudi society.
Whilst a welcome boost to their income, it is not just a pay rise that the citizens want. Over the past three months of his reign, King Abdullah had made conscious steps toward reform. Visible changes in several areas of government have taken place together with the founding of several organizations that the current situation of the country requires.
“King Abdullah has turned our days to non-stop Eids,” said Dr. Suhaila Hammad, a senior member of the National Society for Human Rights. She pointed out that King Abdullah’s establishment of the governmental Human Rights Commission, the Higher Committee of Child Care and the national security body came just in time. “King Abdullah also demanded Islamic solidarity among all Muslims on several occasions.”
The need to lay a solid infrastructure in the Kingdom is high on the agenda of Saudis seeking reform.
Jafar Al-Shayeb, an elected member of the municipal council of Qatif, said that this Eid he truly thanks King Abdullah for his constant concern about people’s issues.
“We wish that all the king’s ambitions turn into realities, especially those related to complete economic development and political reform and of course remodeling the country around the recent changes,” he said.
Religious scholar Dr. Mohsen Al-Awaji agreed with Al-Shayeb in his demand of pursuing the reform program that the king initiated. “I don’t wish only to congratulate him but to ask the Almighty to give him the strength to pursue the path of reform and the culture of transparency that he initiated.”
Writers too had their message to the king in this Eid.
“I seize this opportunity to request the king to change the hard circumstances of writers in the country,” said Saudi novelist Abdo Khal.
He explained that in the age of globalization the country has to ensure the solidity of the foundations of three important fields: Economy, culture and media.
Khal stressed the need for forming a writers’ league to support and protect their rights. He also demanded that more women be enrolled in cultural fields by opening the door to their participation without limits.
The young generation of Saudis had their list of requests to the king. “I congratulate ourselves while congratulating you for having you as our leader,” enthused college student Lateefa Al-Amry.
She asked on behalf of her fellow students that King Abdullah reviewed the educational system that cared more “about the quantity rather than quality.”
Lateefa who, graduates this year, stressed that students’ main request to King Abdullah is to maintain the Saudization of all jobs as the unemployment rate is on the rise.
