Authorities Crack Down on Vote-Buying, Slush Funds
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SUBSCRIPTION MONDAY, JULY 22, 2013 RAMADAN 13, 1434 AH www.kuwaittimes.net PM Abe Egypt works Serena racks wins big in on charter up 51st win Emsak: 03:21 Japan upper as Islamists to take Fajer: 03:31 Dohr: 11:54 house poll protest Swedish title Asr: 15:29 Maghreb: 18:46 7 8 17 Eshaa: 20:14 Authorities crack down on Max 45º Min 31º vote-buying, slush funds High Tide 10:25 Court upholds disqualifying 8 candidates, reinstates 2 Low Tide 04:05 & 18:10 40 PAGES NO: 15877 150 FILS By B Izzak conspiracy theories AANS honors Kuwaiti KUWAIT: The public prosecution yesterday detained a candidate running in the National Assembly elections and Patriotism for sale issued an arrest warrant for a second candidate on suspi- cion of vote-buying. The prosecutor also released 12 sus- Dr Yousef Al-Awadhi pects on a KD 1,000 bail each after interrogating them on charges of buying votes for the first candidate. The KUWAIT: Kuwaiti neurosurgery actions came after security men arrested more than 50 consultant Dr Yousef Al-Awadhi people following raids on a number of houses in various was honored during the American constituencies. By Badrya Darwish Association of Neurological The first candidate is a well-known businessman who Surgeons (AANS) 2013 annual is running in the election for the first time and who turned meeting in New Orleans that was himself in after reports that several of his aides were attended by a large number of arrested on vote-buying suspicions. Detectives on American neurosurgery consult- Saturday night raided more houses after receiving infor- [email protected] ants. Dr Awadhi received a certifi- mation they were being used to buy votes. A number of cate from AANS President Dr people were arrested and cash was seized. The Interior William Couldwell and former pres- Ministry has vowed it will continue its clampdown on all ote-buying... What a surprise! Is this some- ident Dr Mitchel Berger in appreci- acts violating the law, especially vote-buying amid allega- thing new? Is this the first election in the ation for his dedication in work tions that a group of highly influential people have set up two funds worth KD 18 million to finance certain candi- past few years - by the way this is the and achievements that include V improving the relationship dates running in the election. eighth parliament in the past three years- when between the AANS and the neuro- Continued on Page 15 we hear the rumors of vote-buying during elec- surgery department at Kuwait�s tion campaigns? If not for buying votes, previous- Ministry of Health, as well as sup- Ramadan Kareem ly it was about giving away expensive presents, port for the AANS Kuwait Visiting such as luxurious bags from brands like Gucci, Scholars Program. Awadhi Prada etc etc. That is for the ladies. The men had expressed his gratitude for this ini- Believing in the their share of nice presents too. tiative and for becoming the first Arab neurosurgeon to be honored I think these kinds of presents were for those to NEW ORLEANS: Dr Yousef Al-Awadhi (left) is honored at the American Day of Judgment by the AANS. Association of Neurological Surgeons annual meeting. whom a candidate feels uncomfortable to offer By Hassan T Bwambale cash. If you approach a respectable citizen you are not going to offer him KD20 or KD200. He will tell he fifth article of faith in Islam is to believe in you to get lost! But if you give a nice present peo- Philippe crowned the Day of Judgment and the hereafter. Prophet ple might feel shy to say no. TMuhammad (Peace be upon him) told us that What surprises me is that vote-buying has the essential ingredients of this belief are as follows: existed in the past but the government never a) The life of this world and everything in it will one day come to an end. This day is called “the Day of even once cracked down on wrongdoers. This is a king of Belgium Judgment”. Every human being will stand trial before new phenomenon for us in Kuwait. Now the Allah without any interpreter or intercessor. Allah Ministry of Interior is on alert and is cracking Amir sends congratulations says what can be translated as: “And fear the day down on houses in different areas to catch vote- when you will be brought back to Allah. Then shall buying perpetrators red-handed. It looks like BRUSSELS: Philippe ascended the throne of Belgium every soul be paid what it earned. And none shall be vote-buying has gone on a much higher level this after the emotional abdication of his father Albert II yes- dealt with unjustly.” (2: 281) terday, vowing to strive for unity in a nation divided by election campaign. b) All human beings will be judged on that day for language and tradition. The new sovereign, who at 53 Why is this the case? Why is Kuwait in this posi- whatever they did on Earth. Allah says what can be becomes the seventh “King of The Belgians”, was sworn translated as: “He who works evil will not be requited tion? Are we such a poor nation willing to sell our into office by the joint houses of parliament shortly after but by the like thereof. And he who works righteous votes? Is it worth to turn our backs on democracy Albert, aged 79, stepped down citing age and failing deeds - whether man or woman - and is a believer, and loyalty to our country? Is our patriotism for health. “I swear to abide by the constitution and laws of such will enter Paradise; therein they will have suste- sale? Is it so cheap too? It is really a shame! the Belgian people, to maintain national independence nance in abundance without measure.” (40:40) This is the first time when the authorities in and the integrity of the land,” Philippe, dressed in full mili- c) The entire record of our deeds - good or bad - tary uniform, said in the country’s three languages - will be presented before Allah. Kuwait catch people red-handed and lock them French, Flemish and German. “I begin my reign with the up for alleged vote-buying and further investiga- d) Those who will excel in doing good deeds will will to serve all Belgians,” he said in a first speech as king be rewarded and those whose evils will outweigh tions. But is it all really for vote-buying? Or is this that brought a standing ovation in the federal parliament. their good deeds will be punished. Allah says what the way to get rid of a few names and to boycott As cannons boomed out a 101-gun royal salute, can be translated as: “They will be brought in front of their entry into parliament? I have no idea. It is a Philippe said “Belgium’s strength lies in giving meaning to the fire morning and evening. And (the sentence will our diversity. Let us all together show our country a new kind of a mess up this year. Or is the heat wave be) on the day that judgment will be established: surge of enthusiasm.” Flanked by his popular wife affecting the minds and hearts of voters and can- “cast ye the people of Pharaoh into the severe penal- Mathilde, the first Belgian-born queen, Philippe and their ty.” (40: 46) didates? Let’s wait and see the outcome of elec- four young children were greeted with wild cries of “Long • Life would be of no purpose and significance if tions Number 9. Live the King” by a sea of people massed outside the BRUSSELS: Newly-crowned King Philippe of Belgium one doesn’t believe in the Day of Judgment. Have a good suhoor! palace as they appeared on its balcony. and his wife Queen Mathilde wave to the crowds from Continued on Page 15 Continued on Page 15 the balcony of the Royal Palace yesterday. — AFP Rights group Arab TV rivals draw up Egypt battle lines DUBAI: Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi’s ouster has blasts jailing sparked a media war between the Arab world’s major news rivals Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera over the policy lines of their female activist respective funders in Riyadh and Doha. Their differences were first highlighted during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings KUWAIT: Human Rights Watch yesterday blasted when the television channels respectively gave the Saudi Kuwait over a 20-month jail sentence handed to a and Qatari perspectives in their coverage of fast-developing female online activist for “offending the Amir” and events, analysts say. The Arab Spring “led to a polarisation in urged the state to end such prosecutions. The Arab media”, says Saudi analyst Abdullah Al-Shamry. “Both appeals court on Wednesday upheld the sentence channels became more concerned about delivering the on Sara Al-Darees for making remarks on Twitter opinions of their financiers than offering a professional and deemed insulting to HH the Amir. The sentence “fur- objective view,” said Shamry, adding that the two are “losing ther erodes the right to free speech in Kuwait,” the their credibility” in the face of other Arabic-language news New York-based rights group said in a statement. channels such as France 24 and Sky News Arabia. Analysts “The Kuwait authorities over the past year have appearing on Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya are selected careful- prosecuted dozens of people for peaceful political ly to back their positions, says Shamry. statements,” said Joe Stork, acting Middle East direc- Gas-rich Qatar funds Al-Jazeera, founded in 1996, which tor at HRW.