Duty of every Kuwaiti to build and protect their nation: Amir
Sheikh Sabah receives Islamic scholars, minister
KUWAIT CITY, July 23, (KUNA): His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received the Minister of Information and State Minister for Youth Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah and several local Islamic scholars and icons at Seif Palace on Wednesday.
Those received included Dr Mohammad Al-Tabtabaei, Dr Esam Al-Ghareeb, Dr Abdullatif Al-Senan, Dr Ahmad Al-Kous, Dr Mubarak Al-Hajeri, Dr Bassam Al-Shatti and Dr. Sulaiman Marafi.
The encounter was attended by deputy minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah.
During the encounter, His Highness the Amir expressed bewilderment at the state of affairs in the country, in the midst of the recent demonstrations over rumours of corruption amongst the judiciary.
Despite the State Audit Bureau’s doors open to any evidence-bearing individuals on these allegations, nobody has yet come forward, and His Highness reiterated that this was still the case.
“Thank God, there is no one sleeping on the street. Nobody’s hungry and no one has left the country escaping injustice, but they (the people) talk about this country as if it is the most corrupt,” he said.
He went on to express his confidence in the sanctity of the judiciary, adding that the true motive behind these demonstrations was disagreement over the limiting of votes for parliament candidates from four to one.
“All nations have the one-vote system and are able (to function). You can serve your nation from anywhere - you do not need to be on the chair (senior position).” He also said that it is the duty of every Kuwaiti to build and protect their nation.
Dr Sulaiman Marafi on his part said that the meeting with His Highness the Amir was to discuss a religiousthemed TV series, during the holy month of Ramadan, which calls for patriotism on these circumstances.
“The topics these programmes discuss stem from the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammed,” he said. “They are topics that affect reality and every person living in this country - national or non-national.” He also said he was honored to have met His Highness the Amir, who he described as of high morals and humble.
Resembled
Dr Esam Al-Ghareeb said that the meeting was frank and resembled a meeting between father and son, adding that His Highness the Amir is concerned with the state of the country.
Despite the differences between the people of Kuwait, they should choose wisdom and good conduct as the means to relay their emotions, he added.
Dr Bassam Al-Shatti expressed gratitude that His Highness the Amir had allowed the programmes to air, adding that they target reason and evidence as a source for backing the cause.
He added that he along with the other guests had called for these programmes to continue in light of their attempts to reach out to youngsters.
When it came to his turn to speak, Dr Muhammad Al-Tabtaei underscored the need to instruct the youth on the premise that disfiguring and violating public property, including unfettered display of hostility to public officials and government institutions, is an unlawful act with legal consequences.
He said it is incumbent on religious figures like himself to not let up inculcating in the minds of the youth respect for public property and the law, emphasizing that protest marches and demonstrations are admissible if they are carried out within the parameters set by the law and community standards. The youth must be made to realize that unruly mob behavior is unacceptable in any society, including Kuwait.
Switching gears, Dr Al-Tabatabei praised His Highness the Amir for his generous contributions to the afflicted people of Palestine and Syria, noting that Kuwait is ever conscience of the plight of the needy everywhere in the world.
At Dr Mubarak Al-Hajri’s turn to speak, he covered a wide range of generous acts by Kuwait in many countries he personally visited and saw firsthand the results of this generosity to the needy people of these countries. He then made a case for Kuwait being a country with numerous assets and advantages to its name and though it is not perfect in every way, it does its best to give a decent life for its citizens, including such essentials as free education, housing, and health care.
As for Dr Abdullatif Al-Senan, he said that the government has done admirably to cater the best it could for its citizens, including himself, noting that the favors bestowed on the Kuwaiti people by the government should not always be kept in mind but be a starting point for the youth and others in society to try to give back something to their generous government even if it is a gracious acknowledgement of its work for the progress of the socie- ty.
He thanked the Ministry of Information for opening the doors wide for social preachers like himself and the others with him in their meeting today with His Highness the Amir to use the ministry’s resources, namely its broadcasting stations, to dissem- inate unfiltered information and guidance to the nation’s youth.
For his part the minister of Information Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah said that his ministry is at the beck and call of people such as the speakers at today’s meeting with His Highness the Amir, who seek to impart correct information and guidance to the nation’s youth, who unfortunately not often are the recipients of such information and guidance. He thanked everyone who took part in today’s special audience with His Highness the Amir.