National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim affirmed a majority of the MPs cannot accept the violation of the sanctity of Abdullah Al-Salem Hall, to become a theater for film materials that violate public order and decency.
In a press statement today, after the vote on no-confidence motion filed against the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Al-Ghanim said, “To clarify to the Kuwaiti people and public opinion about some of the events that took place in today’s session, I would like to state in the name of God Almighty that those who like to spread indecency in Believers will have a painful punishment in this world and the hereafter.
Al-Ghanim added, “Unfortunately, we have reached in our democratic life a stage and a level that no honorable Kuwaiti person will accept, and the majority of the MPs cannot accept the violation of the sanctity of Abdullah Al-Salem Hall to become an arena for filming materials that violate public order and decency as happened during the last interrogation session.
Al-Ghanim explained, “What happened today, in accordance with the regulatory procedures, is that there was a request to withdraw confidence from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, with two speaking in favor of the request and two against.”
Al-Ghanim said, “The first supporter of the request, Deputy Dr. Hassan Jowhar, who was committed to all the regulatory matters, stated in his speech that any indecent matters or infringements on human dignity are not acceptable despite his different political orientation.”
Al-Ghanim added, “MP Dr. Hisham Al-Saleh also spoke, and then the interrogator, who is supposed to have presented what he had in his pleading in the interrogation discussion session, asked for closed-door session and the statutory procedures were followed according to Article (69) of the National Assembly’s bylaws.”
Al-Ghanim explained “In the beginning, the MP stuttered, and then he said that he will show a film material that proves that the minister has violated the Sharia and so on, in addition to the information that is not hidden from everyone that there are some indecent tapes and they may be fabricated, old, or something we do not know about.”
Al-Ghanim went on to say, “But no person who fears God can accept exposing the honor of people, or any Kuwaiti or non-Kuwaiti woman, or any Kuwaiti or even non-Kuwaiti man. Neither Sharia, nor religion, nor morals, nor the constitution, and any democracy and any constitution that brings us to this unprecedented level.”
He said, “When they say that the Speaker for the first time takes some measures, yes for the first time, because for the first time in our Kuwaiti democracy we see tools in this way or we see people who want to show indecent film materials, and for the first time in our democracy, which the founding fathers sacrificed and paid a lot to protect, we have reached such a low level to a stage stage we want to show indecent film materials.”
Al-Ghanim said, I am honored that, with the support of the parliamentary majority of members of the Council, we have established a constitutional principle and bylaws, and we have complied with the law and the regulations.”
Al-Ghanim clarified, “Article (79) stipulates that it is not permissible to speak about anyone’s personal matters unless this is confirmed by a final judgment of a court, and Article (88) of the Regulations states that “It is not permissible to use inappropriate expressions or infringing on the dignity of persons or organizations.” Or harming higher interests, so it is not permissible to touch the dignity of people or engage them in political rivalries.”
Al-Ghanim said, “Some colleagues, even from what we disagree with, said we agree that this matter we do not accept, and I asked the interrogator to sign the pledge, yes, because he is responsible for the correctness of what is contained in the film material that is required to be shown in the session, and who confirms that it is true and not fabricated.”
Al-Ghanim said, “If you are confident of the authenticity of this film material that you have and that it does not violate the constitution or the regulations, then you bear the responsibility for its authenticity.
“No, I will not bear responsibility, nor will I accept that I bear the legal, constitutional or moral responsibility, and no one of the Kuwaiti people, even if they disagree with me in the political orientation, will accept that we come down to this level.”
He added, “I told him (the interrogator) that you bear the responsibility for these materials and sign a document that they were not fabricated because it may lead to destruction of homes, whethet fabricated or not, and he refused to sign, so I told him to present the evidence to the Parliament office.”
Al-Ghanim explained, “Article 39a states that it is one of the functions of the council’s office to decide on several matters referred to it by the council, including other matters that are presented during the council’s sessions.
Al-Ghanim stated, “Article 120 of the regulation, the last paragraph, states that it is also permissible to exclude any proposal that includes inappropriate phrases or that infringes the dignity of persons or bodies. Their political orientations or their opinion in the interrogation, and regardless of their opinion on whether or not to withdraw confidence, oblige them all to reject this matter.”
Al-Ghanim added, “When a person comes to you who does not know the regulation or the constitution and has an indecent film material and wants to show it, I do not respond to you or anyone else, and we cannot accept such material being shown in Abdullah Al-Salem’s hall.”
Al-Ghanim thanked Deputy Speaker Ahmed Al-Shahoumi, Secretary Farz Al-Daihani and the honorable brothers who supported this decision, indicating that he returned to the parliament and it was not a Speaker’s decision, but rather a decision of the overwhelming parliamentary majority of members of the National Assembly rejecting this matter.