Amman — Administrative experts said the royal message delivered in His Majesty King Abdullah II’s Royal Speech yesterday was clear and decisive, emphasizing that holding public office is no longer a privilege or an honor, but a responsibility requiring faithful performance based on the rule of law and the principles of integrity, transparency, good governance and justice.
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They said the royal messages place a particular responsibility on administrative leaders, because the rule of law begins within the institution itself through fair decisions, clear procedures, and the ability to hold negligent and violating officials accountable without selectivity. Leaders must also set an example by respecting regulations and refraining from abusing their authority.
Former Minister of State for Institutional Development Yaserah Ghousheh, a lawyer, said one of the key messages deserving attention was King Abdullah II’s emphasis on the concept of public service and its role in serving citizens, stressing that public office is a responsibility and a duty, rather than a position of privilege or a means of avoiding accountability.
She said this was not a new message in the King’s approach, noting that he has emphasized it on numerous occasions and addressed it clearly in his Sixth Discussion Paper, which stressed the rule of law and its application with justice, transparency and efficiency. Weak enforcement of the law not only results in the loss of rights, she added, but also undermines citizens’ confidence in state agencies and institutions.
Ghousheh noted that public office requires everyone who holds it to uphold neutrality and integrity, provide services without discrimination, and respect service recipients and their rights. By virtue of their position, public employees represent the state and its institutions, and their conduct should reflect the standards expected of public institutions, preserve their standing, reinforce equality and safeguard individual rights.
Former Secretary-General of the Ministry of Public Sector Development and former Director-General of the Institute of Public Administration Dr. Abdullah Al-Qudah said the messages delivered by King Abdullah II in his Royal Speech regarding public office and the rule of law carried implications that went beyond a reminder of professional ethics. They reaffirmed the philosophy of public administration upon which an institutional state should be built.
Regarding the King’s statement that “the law recognizes no name, position or influence,” Al-Qudah said it conveyed a clear message that the rule of law is not measured by the existence of legal provisions, but by their enforcement on everyone without discrimination or selectivity.
The law loses part of its authority when citizens feel that a person’s name, position or connections can secure different treatment, or when an official hesitates to apply the law to someone with influence. Therefore, the true measure of an institutional state is that everyone is equal before the law and that accountability is determined by conduct and violations, not by the status of those responsible.
He said the priority now is to translate these messages into tangible institutional practices, including equal opportunities, appointments and promotions based on competence and merit, transparent decision-making, fair accountability, and performance measurement based on service quality and outcomes.
Citizens’ trust in public institutions is shaped by their daily experiences with them, he said: Are they treated fairly? Do they receive their rights without favoritism or connections? And are the rules applied to everyone according to the same standards?
Former Senator Talal Al-Sharafat said the Royal Speech constituted an explicit mandate for the government to prevent favoritism and nepotism from infiltrating public employment and positions, thereby strengthening integrity and promoting fairness among Jordanians.
He said the royal message comes within the framework of strengthening administrative reform, at a time when citizens are increasingly unwilling to tolerate violations, regardless of where they occur. Citizens’ ability to tolerate such practices has become limited, he added, and violations are no longer acceptable.
Al-Sharafat stressed that King Abdullah II emphasized the rule of law in the Royal Speech and the need for performance to serve as the basis for holding public positions, away from considerations related to a person’s position or name.
In a related context, Al-Sharafat highlighted the King’s affirmation that the nation is the source of all authorities, placing both chambers of Parliament, the Senate and the House of Representatives, before a major national responsibility requiring them to exercise their legislative and oversight duties with the highest degree of wisdom and deliberation, while putting the public interest ahead of personal interests.
Dr. Mohammad Al-Rawabdeh of the Public Administration Department at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Yarmouk University said what particularly stood out in the Royal Speech was its emphasis that no one who abuses their position should enjoy immunity, regardless of who they are, and that the authority of the state and the rule of law take precedence over everything else.
Some may believe that the authority of the state is preserved by remaining silent about the mistakes of its officials, he said. However, the message of the Royal Speech is that the authority of the state is reflected in people seeing that the same standards apply to everyone, and that anyone who commits a violation is held accountable, regardless of how senior their position may be.
Source: Al-Ghad
