Investigate fish death, alleged FIFA bribes: MPs

KUWAIT: Three main issues dominated the local parliamentary scene yesterday with MPs demanding investigations into the mass fish death and the allegations of Kuwait Football officials’ involvement in alleged graft. MPs also called on authorities to take part in investigations to uncover the killers who assassinated Kuwaiti businessman Mohammad Metab Al-Shalahi in Istanbul Saturday night along with an Iranian Dubai-based TV owner and considered an opponent to the regime in Tehran.

MP Khalil Al-Saleh said he submitted a motion calling on the National Assembly environment committee to investigate the reasons for the mass death of fish on Kuwaiti shores and into the alleged pollution of Kuwaiti environment and water.

He said the motion gives the panel one month to complete its report. The lawmaker also called on the panel to start holding meetings with the relevant authorities over the sensitive issue.

Saleh said he submitted a series of questions to several ministers to uncover the truth about the death of large numbers of fish, adding that the national assembly should accord this issue top priority.

State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah however said that the death of fish in the past two weeks is within the average for this period of the year because of the change in temperature and as a result of human factors like polluting Kuwait Bay waters.

The statement, which came after an emergency meeting for Supreme Environment Council, said that more fish die in April and August due to a rise in temperature and a decrease in oxygen concentration in water.

The minister said that as many as 316 violations caught in Kuwait Bay have been referred to the public prosecutor, adding that health authorities have confirmed that local fish is fit for human consumption.

Regarding the sports issue, a number of MPs called on the National Assembly to launch an investigation into allegations that unnamed Kuwaiti football officials were involved in giving bribes over the past several years. As a result of the allegations, Sheikh Ahmad AlFahad Al-Sabah, one of the most senior world football officials, resigned from world football and pulled out of election for the FIFA council. MP Safa Al-Hashem said she supports calls for a probe by the National Assembly although she said that she is not sure so far about Sheikh Ahmad’s status.

MP Rakan Al-Nasef said an investigation must be launched by the assembly into the whole issue and particularly to explore if this issue is related in any way to the international sanctions on Kuwaiti sports.

MP Khaled Al-Shatti called on the state minister for youth and the Anti-Corruption Authority to investigate the issue and to hold to account those involved in giving or accepting bribes.

In the meantime, several MPs called on the foreign ministry to move and take part in Turkish investigation into the assassination of Kuwaiti businessman AlShalahi along with an Iranian TV owner.

MP Waleed Al-Tabtabai described the assassination as a “political crimes” and urged security and diplomatic authorities to move at the highest level to uncover the perpetrators.