“Any Saudi citizen, high or low, can meet Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah if he has a problem and get it redressed,” said Waheed Hashim, a political science professor at KAU.
He added that such close relations between the ruler and his subjects is the secret to the Kingdom’s social and political stability at a time when most Middle East countries are embroiled in public unrest.
“Saudi kings, since the inception of the Kingdom, have been keeping their doors open for all citizens irrespective of their social status. This policy has enabled rulers to understand the real problems of people and solve them, which in turn has cemented the mutual relations between the ruler and the ruled,” Hashim said.
A special feature of the relations between Saudi kings and their subjects has been that no intermediaries are allowed to come in between the two parties.
“In most other countries, particularly in countries that have been rocked by political upheavals, it can be observed that there was a conspicuous lack of communication between the rulers and their people. Groups of people close to rulers always stand in the way of common men coming into contact with their rulers,” the professor said.
He added that although many countries have the system of councils to interact with their citizens, they need to be improved because there are many obstacles that prevent citizens from presenting their problems to the rulers.
Hashim also stressed the need for top officials meeting with members of the public periodically to learn about their problems.
He said the late King Abdul Aziz continued the practice of his predecessors by making personal contact with citizens. His sons also used to receive citizens to discuss their problems.
King Fahd launched weekly sittings in which he received citizens who presented their problems to the king. The king also launched another sitting with scholars and officials who discussed with him the problems of the country and society in general, he said.
“When Kuwait was invaded by Iraq, citizens started eagerly waiting for King Fahd's meetings with people in which he spoke to them about the developments on international fronts and the Saudi stance on them,” he said.
King Abdullah, as crown prince to King Fahd, also used to receive citizens and listen to their problems, he said. Many provincial governors hold such meetings with the public.
