Jordan Times
Thursday, April 8, 1999
By Tareq Ayyoub
AMMAN — Parliament on Wednesday wrapped up its second day of debate on the government's policy statement during a session which witnessed heated moments between lawmakers.
Deputy Salameh Hiyari surprised MPs by calling on His Majesty King Abdullah to dissolve the Lower House as a necessary step to start a “new era” and bring a strong Parliament to tackle laws requiring amendments, saying that such a move would form the “cornerstone for the comprehensive review of our life.”
Hiyari told his fellow deputies that without such a move there would be no development and “what will remain is a band of hypocrites and influential people who are robbing the country.”
The lawmaker, who was fiercely critical of a former government during last summer's water crisis, was expected to withhold confidence in the government of Prime Minister Abdur-Ra'uf S. Rawabdeh.
Hiyari cited several areas and laws as requiring legislative review, including the judiciary, the Audit Bureau, the Press and Publications Law and the Elections Law.
He said a new parliament would be able to discuss these issues “away from the pressures of other agencies in the country.”
The deputy's comment met with sharp criticism from fellow lawmaker Abdul Karim Dughmi, who said that it was “illegal to demand [the dissolution of Parliament] because according to the Constitution, the King is above the law.”
Dughmi added that Hiyari had no right to request such a measure on behalf of Parliament members.
On Tuesday, deputies began their debate of the government's policy statement. In the statement, submitted to the House on Saturday, Rawabdeh pledged to launch political, economic, social and other reforms.
The deputies are expected to hold the vote of confidence on Thursday.
Taking his turn, Deputy Hashim Waqid urged the government to help in lifting the U.N. sanctions against Iraq and to end what he described as the “tragedy of the Iraqi people.”
Deputy Abdul Majeed Aqtash, speaking during his turn, criticised what he claimed were discriminatory policies towards Palestinians in Jordan.
Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali interjected to say that such statements were unacceptable and would be stricken from the House record.
Later in the session, Abdul Razak Tbeishat asked for a motion to speak in order to read a joint statement by around 10 deputies addressing the comments of Aqtash.
Such statements, Tbeishat said, were damaging to national unity, and he and his colleagues rejected them outright.
Rawabdeh is expected to deliver his rebuttal to the House on Thursday. This is to be followed by a roll call for a vote in favour or against confidence. Analysts have predicted Rawabdeh will win the vote by a significant margin, 60 to 65 out of a maximum 80.