MPs insist on prioritizing citizen-focused bills for approval in next Assembly term

‘Changes to insurance to be of benefit’

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 13: Some lawmakers stressed the importance of enhancing Parliament-government cooperation and increasing the level of coordination between them to reach an understanding on the series of proposed bills to be approved during the next session of the National Assembly by making them a priority, reports Al-Qabas daily.

The lawmakers explained that a number of proposals to improve the living conditions, pensions and insurance benefits as well as increase the housing loan for women will be at the forefront of the parliamentary attention in the next round. It also includes seeking solutions to the issue of employment, unemployment, strategic alternative for salaries, and health insurance for citizens.

In this regard, MP Mohammed Al-Dalal said he is expecting the issues of establishing a crisis management system, dealing with the replacement system, insurance allowances and the right to access information to be the laws of priority in the next round, especially since they stemmed from an agreed-upon framework among many MPs.

He highlighted the right to access information from the requirements of the International Convention against Corruption with the purpose of promoting transparency and integrity.

MP Al-Dalal said amendments to the insurance will be of benefit as a result of what was raised in that regard during the last session.

He stressed that adoption of laws requires coordination of the parliament and government to enable the National Assembly in reaching conclusions concerning the adoption of those laws to serve the country and citizens.

Meanwhile, MP Hamoud Al-Khudair said the list of proposals submitted by the MPs to be prioritized in the next session will be discussed in September, affirming the follow-up of the parliamentary action concerning issues of employment, insurance, adjustment of salaries, social assistance and the cost of living to approve those proposals in the last session.

Also, MP Saleh Ashour called on MPs to give priority to the laws concerning recruitment in leadership positions, purchase of loans, civil and social rights, and reduction of the age of recipients of social aid from age of 55 to 45 years, as well as extension of the beneficiaries of the health insurance system “Afia 2” to include the elderly and people with special needs.

He explained that the laws that should have priority in the discussion and recognition in the next round include the one to reduce benefits of pension exchange to three percent, and the proportion of pension deduction from 25 percent to 10 percent. This is in addition to modifying the salary scale of public sector employees in line with the strategic alternative.

On his part, MP Yousef Al-Fadhala stressed the need for the parliament to focus on the adoption of specific and important laws during the next term, which should include the laws on freedoms, amendments to the audiovisual law and censorship laws in general, and the laws on appointing senior officials.

He said, “I am certain that these laws are controversial, but we must at least act on them and put everyone in front of their responsibilities. There are laws that are considered as a qualitative leap in the parliamentary work. We are working to coordinate their approval. It is important to conclude the law that invalidates the Parliament through the Constitutional Court, because this law, in the event of its approval, would end the subject of revoking the Parliament so that we do not have an invalid Parliament in the future”.