AL-LAITH, 29 June 2006 — A Saudi man from Al-Laith was left flabbergasted when passport officials told him that his petite Indonesian maid had not only driven massive four-by-fours in the busy streets of Makkah but had also committed a string of motoring offenses over the past two years. The man had gone to the passport office to get a simple exit and re-entry visa for his maid when he was told to pay various fines totaling SR500 on his maid’s behalf. The man tried explaining to the official that even Saudi women are not allowed to drive in the Kingdom, let alone an Indonesian maid driving a gigantic four-by-four. The passport official wouldn’t listen to any whimpering until the fine was paid, forcing the man to promptly take out his wallet.
