Jordan Times
Monday, September 18, 2006
Lower House endorses
three articles of anti-corruption commission bill
By Rakan Saideh
AMMAN — After three hours of deliberations on Sunday, the Lower House endorsed
only three articles out of 25 of the anti-corruption commission draft law, as
deputies differed over whether or not to link it to the prime minister’s office.
The bill stipulates the establishment of an anti-corruption body, upon
directives by His Majesty King Abdullah. The commission is meant to be
independent and with a mandate to pursue any person in the government.
Contrary to the decision of the Lower House Legal Committee, the majority of
deputies, along with Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit, aligned behind a position
calling for a complete separation of the commission from the Prime Ministry.
Ghaleb Zu’bi (Zarqa, First District), head of the committee, walked out of the
session in protest, insisting that full separation is unconstitutional. He and
his committee members called for some sort of supervision over the work of the
commission by the prime minister.
The debate over this point, which falls under Article 3 of the bill, took 90
minutes. Those in opposition maintained that a fully independent anti-corruption
body meant it is in a way working as a fourth power, while, constitutionally it
should be under the umbrella of one authority, either the executive, judicial or
the legislative.
Those in favour, on the other hand, said the commission could not exercise its
mandate, which includes monitoring the prime minister, if it was under his
supervision.
Bakhit cited Article 45 of the Constitution, which stipulates that “the Council
of Ministers shall be entrusted with the responsibility of administering all
affairs of the state, internal and external, with the exception of such matters
as are, or may be, entrusted by the present Constitution or by any other
legislation to any other person or body.”
“The tendency among officials is that they are prone to accept more powers to
expand their clout,” Bakhit told the MPs, but this law is crucial in the history
of Jordan and is a link in a chain of pieces of legislation called ‘national
integrity laws,’ which prove the government’s seriousness in combating all forms
of administrative and financial corruption.”
Some MPs suggested that the commission be affiliated with the Higher Judicial
Council or the Lower House speaker as a solution.
The House endorsed Article 2 of the draft law, which includes definitions,
without any changes. So was the case with an item in Article 3, which bans the
commission from opening any new branches in the country, while Article 1 was
approved in last Wednesday’s session.
Differences again surfaced when deputies started debating Article 4 of the draft
law, which deals with wasta and “character assassination.”
MPs insisted that wasta was acceptable if it is used to help the poor and ensure
their rights are upheld. They called for imposing penalties on officials who
accept wasta and not those who mediate to get services for others.
Although the House Legal Committee had removed the “character assassination”
concept from the text of the law, a movement led by Deputy Abdur-Ra’uf S.
Rawabdeh (Irbid, Second District) succeeded in reinstating it, but opponents
insisted that a clear definition be introduced to the law.
They also made changes to the wording of the commission’s mission.
Responding to requests by the deputies, House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali
cancelled the evening session. Another meeting will be held today to continue
deliberations on the draft law.