The Kuwaiti government announced Monday the formation of investigation committees that will look into corruption, leaked recordings, imbalance in the country’s demographics and a drop in revenues.
The government will cooperate with the National Assembly to adopt the directives issued by Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah during his televised address on Sunday.
It also expressed its support to Interior Minister Anas al-Saleh, who is facing a no-confidence vote at the National Assembly on Wednesday after a debriefing request submitted by MP Shuaib Muwaizri. The government expressed its confidence that lawmakers will renew their confidence in the minister.
The cabinet had met for its weekly meeting on Monday. Chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah, the meeting announced the formation of five committees entrusted with speeding up the approval of necessary legislation, fighting corruption, tackling economic and demographic imbalances, as well as assessing the “negative impact” of social media.
It announced the formation of a government team, headed by the PM, with a view to translating into action the instructions of the Crown Prince and speeding up the passing of necessary legislation.
Moreover, the cabinet approved the formation of a higher committee, also headed by the PM, to promote the national strategy for transparency and anti-corruption.
The committee will activate cooperation and coordination between audit agencies, and cooperate with the State Audit Bureau, to unify government efforts and follow up on all issues related to public funds cases. It will follow up on procedures taken inside Kuwait and abroad and means to restore public funds to the state treasury and prepare legal procedures that would crack down on financial and administrative corruption.
In the case of leaked recordings, a government statement said it was briefed on the report submitted by the interior minister on the issue and the measures his ministry has taken in this regard.
The ministry has detained the state security chief and seven officers and referred the leaked recordings case to the general prosecution.
According to the leaks, security officials had spied on the social media accounts of prominent figures, including lawmakers and journalists. The revelation prompted uproar in Kuwait.
The issue "in its entirety and all of its details" is under investigation, Sheikh Nawaf said during his speech on Sunday.
He expressed full confidence in the efforts of the security institution and judiciary in delivering a "just punishment" for any wrongdoing, while also throwing his support behind the interior minister.
