Islamists 'reject portfolios in new gov't'

By Hani Hanzaimeh

AMMAN - The Muslim Brotherhood has thanked Prime Minister-designate Marouf Bakhit for offering the group portfolios in his government, but opted for rejecting the offer.

A government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Jordan Times that Bakhit offered the largest opposition group “one or two portfolios through a third party”.

But Hamzah Mansour, the secretary general of the group’s political arm, the Islamic Action Front, said that the offer was made directly and indirectly, “without going into any details regarding what portfolios were included in the offer”.

On Sunday, Mansour headed a delegation from the movement to a meeting with Bakhit, where the issue of their participation in the new government was brought up, according to the Islamist leader and the source.

“We thanked him for the gesture, which we consider a positive step, but we would rather be part of the political process in an elected government,” Mansour said.

The Islamists seek a new elections law that adopts the proportional representation list in place of the one-person, one-vote system. Bakhit reportedly told lawmakers that such a system is an option.

According to a statement by the Muslim Brotherhood published on their website Sunday, the delegation presented Bakhit with a memorandum listing 14 demands from the new government.

Mansour told The Jordan Times that the Muslim Brotherhood’s representatives expressed during their meeting with Bakhit their willingness to cooperate with the new government towards achieving political reform according to Royal directives in the Letter of Designation.

According to Mansour, the demands included a new elections law that adopts the proportional representation list, amending the Public Gatherings Law, the establishment of a teachers association, more public freedoms and dissolving the current Parliament and electing a new Lower House under the new law.

His Majesty King Abdullah met leaders of the Brotherhood on Thursday. During the meeting, the King said he was expecting the new government to work hand in hand with Parliament, political parties and civil society institutions to achieve progress towards political reform.

The group later in the day described the meeting as “candid and clear” and dealt with different issues of national concern, with focus on political reform.

7 February 2011

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=34255.