Two Kuwait MPs quit after parliament rejects PM grilling

KUWAIT CITY // Two Kuwaiti opposition MPs resigned on Wednesday to protest parliament’s decision to deny their request to question the prime minister over allegations he gave cash handouts to lawmakers.

Riyadh Al Adasani and Abdulkarim Al Kundari had filed a request last week to question prime minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al Sabah, in a move that could have lead to his dismissal.

They also blamed the premier — a senior member of the ruling family — for deteriorating public services in the Opec member and took him to task for the temporary closure of two newspapers, claiming the move was aimed at stifling freedoms.

But in a rare move, parliament voted on Tuesday to accept a government request that the grilling be scrapped on the grounds that most of the issues raised were not in line with the constitution.

“I am submitting my resignation from parliament in order to safeguard the constitution,” Mr Al Kundari said before walking out of a parliamentary session with Mr Al Adasani, who made a similar announcement.

Under Kuwait law, the 50-member parliament must study the resignations within 10 days and, if it accepts them, by-elections will be held within two months to fill their seats.

Opposition lawmaker Hussein Al Mutairi, who had also filed the request to grill the prime minister, said he will consult with his voters before taking a decision on what to do.

* Agence France-Presse