Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Shoura Council Speaker Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh has said the council was considering a mechanism to ensure the involvement of the citizens in some of its works. He, however, said the step is not the sole prerogative of the council but will need approval of the supreme authorities. Al-Asheikh made the remarks while delivering a lecture to an elite group of Saudis at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah on Sunday. In his lecture, titled "The Shoura Council between realty and hopes", Al-Asheikh said the members could be elected but this was left to the King to decide. "The supreme authority (the King) alone has the power to decide the modality of choosing the members of the council, whether by election or appointment," he said. The 150 members, including 30 women, are appointed by the King for a four-year term. "The women members are making sound proposals enriching the discussions and helping the council make a number of important recommendations," Al-Asheikh said. The speaker said the Shoura Council is fundamentally different from parliaments in other countries. He explained that while a parliament is free to discuss any issue of concern to the public or the government, the topics to be discussed by the council are decided by the supreme authority. He said the council discusses development plans, annual reports of the ministries and government departments, agreements and memorandums of understanding with foreign countries. "The council has the authority to amend rules and regulations and can summon any minister or senior official to discuss certain issues with them," he said. Al-Asheikh revealed that the council has discussed the new water tariff with Minister of Water and Electricity Abdullah Al-Hussayen, who was relieved from his post later. He said the council was convinced of the reasons that led to the hiking of the water tariff but was against the mechanism to achieve that goal. He said the council gives opinion on issues raised before it but cannot on its own discuss any topic of concern to the public. "If there is something negative in society, we cannot discuss it on our own. It is the state that refers to us the issues to be discussed," Al-Asheikh said. He added that this might be the reason why people are not always happy about the work of the council.
