Law strips ministry of authority to block websites

KUWAIT: Member of the parliament’s educational affairs committee MP Khalil Abdullah said that the new e-media law authorized the judiciary, and not the information ministry, to block certain websites. Abdullah added that penalties for working without a license were also reduced from a fine ranging between KD 3,000 and KD 10,000 to only KD 500, adding that even fines would be paid through court orders.

Priorities ‘ committee

The parliament’s priorities committee is due to convene today morning to discuss the laws approved by the parliament without issuing executive charts so far. The meeting will be attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, Social Affairs and Labor Minister Hind AlSubaih, Housing Minister Yasser Abul, Communications and Municipality Minister Essa Al-Kandaro, Public Works Minister Ali Al-Omair and Education Minister Bader Al-Essa.

KAC law

Presided by MP Faisal Al-Shaye, the parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee is due to discuss a proposal made to amend law number 6/2008 pertaining turning Kuwait Airways (KAC) into a shareholding company in its meeting today morning. The proposal also includes demands to stop transferring KAC employees until the amendments are made.

Club’s privatization

Chairman of the parliament’s youth and sports committee MP Abdullah Maayouf said that the committee’s report on a parliamentary proposal made pertaining privatizing sports clubs would be finished within three months.

Anti-corruption law

MP Shaye demanded that the government must respond to parliamentary demands on filling the gaps in the new anti-corruption law in order to prevent the recurrence of crimes like the ‘multimillions bank deposits’ scandal. On the same issue, MP Kamel Al-Awadhi said that lawmakers’ attitudes were clear and that the new law would be a top priority for the parliament. He also called to subject the Anti-Corruption Authority directly to the parliament just like the Audit Bureau.

MP Khalil Al-Saleh called for solving the problems of the dissolved anti-corruption authority employees in a way that would not jeopardize their posts or incentives. “Those employees’ financial and vocational rights must be protected,” he stressed, calling for transferring them to a government body and keep paying their salaries pending reappointing once the authority is revived.