MPs scrutinize government, several to block confidence vote

2011-03-03

By Wael Jaraysheh

AMMONNEWS - Member of Parliament Nariman Rousan on Thursday attacked former Royal Hashemite Court Chief Basem Awadallah and Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit's first government in the parliamentary session discussing the cabinet's statement to parliament.

Rousan said before the Lower House of Parliament that Awadallah was an employee at the Prime Ministry and was granted Jordanian citizenship 10 years before leaping to be appointed in the position of Royal Court Chief.

Roussan described Awadallah as "Jordan's Cohen," a name she gave him back in 2008 in a parliamentary session.

"This official began with a few JD's, and ended up with millions," Roussan said, demanding an inquiry into international aid funds that were spent "without monitoring or accountability."

Roussan thanked PM Marouf Bakhit for his announcement to relaunch Jerash Festival, and announced that she will abstain from giving a confidence vote "out of respect to the people," after she had granted the confidence vote to former Prime Minister Samir Rifai's government.

She questioned Bakhit's government's ability to hold the previous government accountable for the excessive temporary laws it issued, and to combat corruption and the corrupt regardless of their positions, and whether the current government is capable of forming a constitutional court.

Meanwhile, MPs Abdul Nasser Bani Hani and Tamam Rayati announced that they will not grant a vote of confidence to Bakhit's government, joining 8 other MPs who announced so yesterday.

In his statement, MP Salem Hadban said that corruption is still ongoing in many government apparatuses, and expressed that the demonstrations that have been taking place in the kingdom are "generally not politicized" but rather a natural reaction from the young Jordanians, many who are unemployed and face difficult living conditions.

MP Khalaf Hwaimel said that he hopes that the aim of the reforms proposed in the government program presented to parliament is to work for "national interests" away from hiding behind pretexts and appeasement.

He stressed that political reform stands on the basis of preparing regulatory legislation for political activism in the country, such as the municipalities, public freedoms, decentralization, and electoral laws.

MP Khalaf Zyoud called on the government to stay in touch with citizens throughout the governorates and listen to their concerns, and stressed the need to create jobs for the young unemployed.

On her part, MP Myassar Sardiya said that political, social, and administrative corruption has been the trademark of former governments, despite the fact that such governments took upon themselves the platform and slogan of combating corruption.

Saridya demanded that embezzled public funds be retrieved, and stressed that the government needs to achieve social justice, referring to the marginalization of Badia citizens, and stating "the government is exploiting us, not serving us."

She noted that Jordanian media and journalism is richer and more mature than governments themselves, adding that previous governments have worked to belittle and degrade the media through the "ill-mentioned code of conduct" that Rifai's government endorsed.

In his statement, MP Wasfi Rawashdeh denounced Israeli Knesset member Aryeh Eldad's continuous calls for turn Jordan into an alternative homeland for the Palestinians.

He shed light on the need to reform and "cleanse" the judicial authority, and stressed that political reform is the measure by which the street will judge both the government and parliament.

He stressed the need to expedite the process of carrying out a national dialogue within a specific methodology and suitable timeframe.

Rawashdeh said that his decision to grant confidence to the government depends on the latter's response to his inquiries and demands.

Meanwhile, MPs Musa Zawahreh, Jamal Qamwah, and Mijhem Sqour also announced that they will block a vote of confidence.

* By Banan Malkawi for Ammon News English

Source: Ammon News.
Link: http://en.ammonnews.net/article.aspx?articleNO=11625.