A number of citizens told Al-Eqtisadiah business daily that the poor performance of the municipal councils has contributed considerably to this lukewarm response.
They are convinced that the councils must be given more executive powers and that there should be substantial change in their style of functioning to make them more effective and professional.
Badar Al-Showaimi, an employee, said the municipal councils were doing nothing useful for citizens.
“I do not see them engaged in any activities that are of concern for ordinary citizens,” he said.
Echoing the same view, Abdul Rahman Al-Ammar said he has so far not seen any positive impact from the municipal councils.
He said he would only be satisfied with the councils if they fulfill the expectations of the citizens.
“So far, I cannot see them performing their duties in a satisfactory way. This is mainly because that they do not have any powers to exercise,” he said.
He said he had not interacted with Riyadh Municipal Council at all, even though he is aware that it can be contacted by phone, fax and e-mail.
However, he is not aware of any arrangements for the public to speak with council members.
A designated day has apparently been set aside for the public to meet with members every week.
Saleh Al-Qazlan, another citizen, said he did not register as a voter for the first municipal elections held six years ago.
He has no plans to register as a voter for the second municipal elections, scheduled to be held on September 22 this year.
Candidates should be qualified people, stressed Al-Qazlan.
“There should not be any other considerations, whether they are tribal or regional or personal. Only those who are efficient and trustworthy should contest the elections. The municipalities must also be given more powers,” he said.
Al-Qazlan said he decided not to register because he was convinced the council would not be of any use to him.
However, he is also optimistic about the functioning of municipal elections, provided that the councils are given sufficient powers to discharge their duties and fulfill their responsibilities.
Imad Al-Silmi, a 21-year-old resident of Jeddah, said he was not eligible to register as a voter for the first municipal elections.
“But now I have registered to vote for the second municipal councils. I am fully confident that the municipal councils can play their role in serving the citizens in various residential districts under the jurisdictions of each municipality,” he said.
“The candidates must have academic qualifications, a good personal record and efficiency to tackle the problems of the public,” he said, adding that people should elect only those who can fulfill their election promises.
Saad Al-Daihan, another citizen, noted the lukewarm attitude of the public, which was also evident during voter registration for the first municipal elections.
“There was no huge turnout for voter registration. This was mainly because of the lack of interaction between the council members and the public,” he said.
“As far as many voters are concerned, they could not speak to any members of the council after the elections. They only had contact with candidates during the election campaign only. This was true in my case also.”
He expressed hope that the municipal councils, once in their second terms, would be more active in dealing with people and tackling their problems properly.
Al-Daihan urged authorities to give full executive powers to the municipal councils to discharge their duties more effectively.
“This should not be restricted to municipal services only. It should encompass all sectors affecting the public in their day-to-day life, including health and education,” he said.
Nawaf Al-Anzi, a young Saudi man, said he did not see any tremendous response from the public to register for the elections.
“I have so far not registered my name as a voter. I believe that there is no point in voter registration without knowing who the candidates are. There is no motivation for the public to register their vote, either because of the performance of the council members or the council’s activities.”
On his part, Khaled Al-Manie, said he registered as a voter for the first municipal elections.
“But frankly speaking, I could not see any concrete initiatives or commendable services offered by the municipality. If somebody approaches the municipal officials with a demand, their answer was to contact the concerned authorities,” he said.
“It is because of their inability to perform due to a lack of sufficient executive powers,” he said.
He also noted that there had been enthusiasm from many people to participate in the electoral process for the first municipal elections.
“But now they have lost this enthusiasm because of the failure of the municipal bodies to realize the aspirations of the public. There is no use for the efficiency, expertise and enthusiasm of the council members unless they have adequate powers to discharge their duties,” he added.
