AMMAN — There are no flaws in the
laws governing the political life, but the new stage requires a new approach to
the process, a leading lawmaker has said.
اضافة اعلان
Speaker of the
Lower House
Abdul-Monem Al-Oudat said in an interview with
Jordan News: “In my opinion,
there is no specific loophole in the Election, Political Parties, or the
Decentralization law. This is a new phase in the history of Jordan and there is
a political, economic and social reality that requires a quality leap…”
He added that the time when an
executive authority runs all public affairs without the participation of
citizens in the decision-making process “is behind us”.
Oudat said when we revisit
legislation related to political life, “it is not text of the law, nor the way
it has been applied, it is all about analyzing its impact on public life” and
see if there is a need to make changes.
“This is exactly what His Majesty
the King wants. He has been meeting with all the social and political groups
and has had with all open and sincere discussions, let alone that he has direct
knowledge of the situation of his people across the Kingdom. Based on these
realities, and his vision for the future, he is pushing for change and
modernization” in a manner that serves the higher interests of the country.
A case in point is the
decentralization drive, which began in 2011, and culminated into a reality that
is “below expectations,” the speaker said.
“…What has been achieved on the
ground was below expectations, and therefore, there has been a need to examine
the outcome of the process and revisit the process to remove all obstacles that
have over the past few years hindered the process and prevented us from
achieving the core goals of decentralization.”
The interview was conducted with
Oudat as the
Royal Committee for Political Modernization,
formed by His Majesty King Abdullah and chaired by Senator Samir Rifai,
embarked on its mandate to suggest new laws to revamp political life.
The
goal of the 92-strong panel is to modernize and improve Jordan’s political
system, starting with the laws regulating political parties and elections. It
is expected that the sub-committees will finish their work by August 15th.
Reform-related
literature also includes the anti-corruption drive. During a meeting with
tribal leaders this week, His Majesty said fighting graft requires a teamwork
spirit.
Oudat
highlighted what he described as achievements in legislation to curb corruption
made by the 19th Parliament, citing amendments to the law governing
the work of the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Audit Bureau, based on the lawmakers’ belief that
“corruption is the greatest threat to the state” because it erodes its foundations from inside.
He also
highlighted the provision set by the legislators to consider vote buying as a
form of corruption, ensuring at the same time to defend individuals against
smear campaigns and character assassination.
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