‘Respect MP’s opinion right’
Other Voices
Iadmit that I do not like the way MP Safa Al-Hashem talks and I am not comfortable with her political positions. I also doubt that she benefits from the government’s satisfaction like most of her colleagues, that is to say, the criticism and grilling of majority of MPs against ministers could be for interests beyond the objectives of constitutional tools made available to them.
Al-Hashem’s position towards expatriates is completely contrary to my position in terms of what I said before that the expatriate will leave once we find a citizen wishing to replace him in repairing oil refineries and water distillation stations at temperatures reaching nearly 60 degrees Celsius, or hundreds of other difficult occupations or those so low which are rejected by the ‘super citizen’.
However, this does not mean accepting the recent unacceptable, offensive and abusive attack on her. She remains a citizen, a member of the Parliament. Her position and the laws of the country give her the right to say what she wants and the victim has to go to court. Therefore, it is disturbing that she received messages through Whats App, which consisted of offensive statements, spats on her right and death threats.
Here, we stop and put aside differences in opinions. We support her in her right to express her views. The question arises here because of the extreme sensitivity felt by Egypt, or its media, towards any criticism, defamation or attack on any of its citizens, while it does not show such sensitivity over similar events or statements in many other countries.
Why does Egypt focus on us, to the extent that the Egyptian minister of labor came to Kuwait, perhaps to intervene in the course of an investigation into a quarrel or attack by a Kuwaiti citizen against an Egyptian seller?
The Egyptian government’s readiness not to tolerate any incident of aggression against its citizens is understandable. It is not disputed, but the sensitivity is excessive. Egypt is dear to us, but Kuwait and its dignity are much dearer.
The number of Egyptians in Kuwait is close to 700,000 which is almost half the number of Kuwaitis. This is a matter of real concern. The number of any community, without exception, should not exceed 25 percent of the population, but this is another issue.
This sensitivity could be attributed to such a huge number. Egypt does not want to be affected by the number or stop its growth. Therefore, it always appears ready with the strongest reaction to any incident suffered by any Egyptian. The abuses and slander against Al Hashem is semi-directed in a manner that the issue for Egypt is serious and irrevocable, up to the extent of terrorism. It is as if their tongue says: A word against us is responded by a thousand. This is absolutely unacceptable.
A tip for Egyptian officials and media: Leave us and the Egyptian brothers to take care of our own affairs. Your intervention hurts us and you, and encourages the foolish to fuel a dispute that will be in favor of the enemies of both parties.