FUJAIRAH AND RAK // Residents assembled on the two voting centres from all corners of both emirates to cast their vote for the FNC candidates they trust.
Ayesha Abdullah, a 27-year-old from Masafi, was pleased that early voting was an option because she would not be available come election day.
“I came today because I will not be able to attend on October 3. I will be out of the country and I can’t miss the chance of participation in choosing the right person to represent us and talk about all our needs,” said Ms Abdullah.
Mohammed Al Amiri, from Ras Al Khaimah, came early because he believes the candidate Walled Al Shaemaa can solve health insurance problems.
“I have known him for a long time and he is a well-known person who helps and support all the community and one of the main things that he is focusing on is finding a solution to our health insurance issues,” said Mr Al Amiri, 25. “I wanted to be the first person to vote for him.”
Mohammed Al Tiniji, a 28-year-old from RAK, had come all the way from Das Island, off the coast of Abu Dhabi emirate, to vote for his cousin Saleh Al Tiniji.
“I work at Das Island and I will be on duty during the upcoming two weeks so I decided to come today and give my vote to my cousin Saleh Al Tiniji because I believe that he could solve many issues that concern residents living in Ras Al Khaimah,” he said.
rhaza@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 6 (McTominay 2', 3'; Fernandes 20', 70' pen; Lindelof 37'; James 65')
Leeds United 2 (Cooper 41'; Dallas 73')
Man of the match: Scott McTominay (Manchester United)
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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