Shoura Council Chairman Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid has hailed a royal decree strengthening the 120-member consultative body and said it showed the government was serious about reforms.
| "Oh, thank you, Your Royal Highness! Now I won't be a non-entity! Oh, thank you!" |
In a statement following a Shoura meeting on Monday, Dr. Bin-Humaid also urged Saudis to be forthcoming with their opinions on matters close to their hearts. The Shoura chief asked Saudis to toe a moderate line in all things and avoid acts of dissension. âExtremism will serve only the enemy and incur heavy losses to the country,â he said. Dr. Bin-Humaid was all praise for a royal decree changing Articles 17 and 23 of the Shoura Council system. âThese changes have given more powers to the council, provided greater flexibility in its performance and widened its area of influence in issues concerning citizens and the nation.â He said the changes to the system showed the governmentâs resolve to push ahead with the political and administrative reforms announced in a keynote address early this year by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd. In the written address, the king also stressed the Shouraâs role in monitoring the performance of government departments and agencies. |