JEDDAH, 8 May 2006 — In an address to the nation yesterday, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah emphasized that he would leave no stone unturned in his efforts to promote the welfare and prosperity of the Saudi people.
“Every citizen of this beloved country should know I have assumed this historic trust keeping in my mind your concerns, hopes and aspirations,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as saying. The king added that he would give top priority to the interest of the nation, its people and the Islamic faith.
Abdullah gave the address to thank the Saudi people for the sincere feelings they had expressed through cables, letters and press statements after a royal decree slashing the prices of petrol and diesel to 60 and 25 halalas, respectively.
The king said he was happy about the unity of the Saudi people. “I will exert all-out efforts in your service. If I do anything right, it is thanks to God and His Blessings and if there is any mistake, it comes from me,” he said.
Abdullah said he had decided to cut petrol and diesel prices because he understood the problems and needs of the Saudi people. “It’s an expression of our joint aspirations and our quest for a brighter future by the grace of God,” he added.
In his brief speech, King Abdullah described Saudi Arabia as a Kingdom of monotheism, unity and humaneness and urged the Saudi people to stand united like one body with a single soul having a firm will.
Since his ascent to the throne in August 2005, Abdullah has taken a series of steps to improve the welfare and well-being of the Saudi people. He ordered a 15 percent pay rise for all Saudi employees, including military officers, and increased by 15 percent the financial remuneration of Shoura Council members.
The maximum social insurance allocation for families was raised from SR16,200 to SR28,000 annually. He also allocated more than SR80 billion from the 2005 budget surplus for educational, health and other welfare projects.
A humanitarian king, Abdullah was the first to visit poor neighborhoods in the capital three years ago and to launch a series of schemes to fight poverty in various parts of the country. He has allocated SR10 billion from the budget surplus to build low-cost housing units for the poor and needy in various parts of the Kingdom. He instructed the Prince Abdullah ibn Abdul Aziz Foundation, a charity named in his honor, to expand its housing projects all over the Kingdom for the benefit of underprivileged sections of Saudi society.
