JEDDAH, 13 May 2007 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday urged Saudis to work together in order to take the Kingdom to new heights of progress and prosperity. “Let me tell you that this nation is not the monopoly of any person or group. It’s for everybody,” the king said.
King Abdullah, who is on a weeklong tour of the north, made this statement while speaking at a reception for him given by the people of Tabuk Friday night. “Citizenship is a positive interaction for giving that has no limits,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as saying.
King Abdullah, who is supreme commander of the Kingdom’s armed forces, will attend a major military parade at the King Abdul Aziz Military City in Tabuk today. The parade will include an air show, parachute jumping, a demonstration by Saudi Falcon fighters and displays by special forces.
In his speech the king reminded the audience of the lessons from the Tabuk military expedition launched by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). “It was a great example of sacrifice and it effectively contributed toward keeping the flag of truth flying high for centuries, until today,” he added.
Abdullah also spoke about his nationwide tour following his accession to the throne in August 2005. It began in Makkah and ended in Tabuk. “My meetings with Saudi people in different regions have increased my love and affection for you. And now I feel the trust you have bestowed upon me,” he said.
King Abdullah said he would continue his efforts to strengthen the Kingdom and enhance its reputation in the world. “I will not accept less than the peak of honor and nobility for you among nations,” the king said to applause from the large crowd who had thronged the King Khaled Sports City in Tabuk.
Abdullah commended the tremendous progress achieved in Tabuk, saying it fits well with its noble past. He later launched a number of new projects worth SR6 billion in the health, education, water, electricity, road and housing sectors.
In his speech, Tabuk Gov. Prince Fahd ibn Sultan spoke about the progress achieved in the region since the arrival of Prophet Muhammad in Tabuk 14 centuries ago. He also pointed out that four kings — Saud, Faisal, Khaled and Fahd — had previously visited the region. Prince Fahd commended King Abdullah’s efforts to achieve balanced development in all parts of the Kingdom and reconcile all Arab countries and groups.
Prince Fahd said the king had instructed him to implement the new welfare projects without delay.
During the reception, Muslim Auda Al-Omairy and Salim Eid Al-Fayedi declared before the king that they had pardoned the killers of their sons. King Abdullah thanked them for their noble gestures. The king later toured a historical and agricultural exhibition staged on the sidelines of the reception and watched a documentary on Tabuk’s history and progress. The ceremony was crowned by a marvelous fireworks show.
Earlier, King Abdullah received a trial copy of Al-Sabah daily newspaper to be published from Tabuk. Speaking to reporters on the occasion, Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani said his ministry would approve serious applications to publish new magazines and newspapers. “Saudi Arabia is in need of more newspapers. Statistics have shown that the Kingdom has the lowest number of daily newspapers compared to its population,” he said. He did not favor newspapers focusing on a particular region and said he believed that Al-Nadwa and Al-Bilad newspapers would have been in a better position if they were run by those who are interested in media and journalism. He said the ministry had received new applications for newspapers in Makkah and Qasim, adding that a committee has been set up to look into such applications.
New development projects launched by the king in Tabuk yesterday included: the first phase of Tabuk University, a medical city, two hospitals in Dhuba and Amlaj, and a number of technical colleges and vocational training institutes. The current budget allocates SR475 million for the first phase of the university project.
Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie estimated the total value of new health projects in Tabuk at SR662 million. The first phase of the medical city project will cost SR320 million, he added.
Al-Manie said the new medical city includes the 500-bed King Fahd Specialist Hospital, a 200-bed mental hospital and a diabetes center. He also disclosed plans to establish 52 new health centers at a cost of SR1.05 billion.
A comprehensive water supply project was one of the major projects launched by the king in the region. “We have already spent SR1.7 billion on this long-term project,” said Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah Al-Hussayen. The project involves the construction of 36 wells, a water purification plant, a control station and a large water container. The project would enable 50,000 cubic meters of water to be supplied daily to Tabuk in the first phase. Al-Hussayen said his ministry would soon launch a national campaign to rationalize electricity consumption.
