But the panel members differed on whether the wealth disclosure portion should have a retroactive power when implemented or not and asked its legal advisors to study to settle these different viewpoints based on Kuwait’s constitution, rapporteur of the committee MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak said.
A number of MPs, mainly from the opposition, insisted that wealth disclosure articles must have a retroactive effect in order to allow authorities to inspect the fortunes of officials since they were appointed to their posts. But Mubarak said that under Kuwaiti constitution, laws can both have a retroactive effect when enacted.
The draft law requires the prime minister, ministers and top government bureaucrats in addition to the Assmebly speaker and MPs to disclose their wealth before and after assuming office. The bill stipulates jail sentences of up to seven years and a fine not exceeding KD 7,000 for those who exploit public office to achieve illegal profits. It also stipulates a maximum of five years in jail and a KD 3,000 fine for those who provide false information in their disclosures.
The legal committee is also reviewing around 20 draft laws on fighting corruption submitted by MPs and the panel’s job is to produce a single legislation on combating corruption.
Mubarak said that members of the committee also objected to the formation of the proposed corruption combating authority as the government proposes it to be under the justice minister while MPs want it to be directly under the Cabinet.
She said that it is proposed that the head of the authority will be appointed in the capacity of a minister and accordingly, a minister cannot be under another minister.
MPs also want that the chairman to be assisted by two judges as advisors while the six remaining members of its board should be appointed equally by the government and the Assembly.
The draft law is supposed to be ready before Oct 25 opening of the new term of the Assembly so it can be debated and approved by the Assembly in one of the first few sessions. On her part, liberal MP Aseel Al-Awadhi doubted the bill will be ready before Oct 25, saying that it requires a lot of work.
Awadhi, a member of the National Action Bloc, meanwhile said her bloc has not issued any decision regarding the proposed grilling of the prime minister expected to be filed later this week. She said the bloc is scheduled to meet this week and take its decision, adding that the participation of the bloc in the anti-corruption rallies is an indicator of its anger over corruption in the country.
