The Saudi Journalists Association (SJA) will not monitor the upcoming municipal elections, as part of a coordination council set up to monitor the event. Dr. Abdullah Al-Jahlan, Secretary General of the SJA, said the decision has been taken in view of the fact that Saudi women have not been allowed to participate in the ensuing elections. Al-Jahlan said the SJA's monitoring role, as a civil society organization, would have been relevant if the elections were representative of the country's entire population. The format of the elections and the performance of these councils, he said, have created a public uproar, especially since the ministry has excluded more than one half of Saudi society. He said no significant changes have been introduced for the elections despite the many years since the last polls and after a two-year delay. The last elections took place in 2005. Judai Al-Qahtani, Director of Municipal Councils at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, said no decision has been taken about the format of the coordination council or the nature of participating bodies. __
