Tariq A. Al-Maeena

Saudi Arabia has been maligned by some critics for being an autocratic state with non-existent democratic principles and for being short on human rights. This criticism gathered steam following the Sep. 11 attacks.  But reality is often far different from what it is presumed to be by others.  Some people do not seem to understand that this country does have democratic principles on its books.



I bumped into an acquaintance the other day and it wasn’t long before we were discussing the upcoming municipal elections.  He was very pessimistic about the whole thing, and made it plain that he was staying away from the polling booths.  He just did not think it was going to change anything.



I must admit that when the elections were first proposed back in 2005, I was similarly skeptical.  My cynicism was enhanced further when it was announced that half the seats would be up for election and the government would select the other half.  At the time, while there was no immediate rejection of the role of women in these elections, it was soon announced that they were to be excluded. That compounded my fading interest in this development, because if half of our society was not going to take part in something that concerned us all, where then was the legitimacy of the process? 



But after watching and hearing of the initial elections that took place in Riyadh and the central region, I began to have second thoughts.  There was a keen spirit of participation among many in the region.  These were people who had waited for a long time to be heard, and now they were going to exercise that right through the municipal polls.  These were people who wanted to have a say in their civic affairs.  And from the comments of many, they were not happy with the way their municipality had run things so far.



However, when the election results were announced followed by the challenges made by the losers, I realized that we are still in our infancy in the election process, and perhaps it was a wise step by the government to reserve only half of the seats for votes. In the event that certain interest groups got together and won the seats through some backroom conspiracy, the government still had the option of balancing things out.



We are now in the early days of the new elections.  Voter registration has commenced in the two holy cities and will take place throughout the Kingdom next week. I will be curious to see what issues candidates raise in their electoral platforms.  Will they talk about the inefficiencies of the municipal bureaucrats, of civil projects that never seem to end, of corruption, and of archaic laws that are thrust upon small business owners?  Will candidates vow to tackle the perplexing subjects we face and that have been raised so often in the news, or are they immune to such issues and instead will focus on promising what they cannot deliver?



It is too early to tell, as candidates will need some time to prepare their agendas.  However, if there is one thing I would like to see written in the election bylaws it is that there should be a full disclosure of assets and liabilities by candidates standing for these elections.  Other countries have such provisions in their election bylaws, and I believe this would protect us from those candidates whose intent is to serve themselves and not the public. 



And we the people must take the election process seriously.  It affects all of us, and the outcome will be determined by our individual will to examine the different issues raised by prospective candidates and to choose with our conscience. This is not the time to be a bystander.  Voter apathy is not uncommon throughout the world.  We should not embrace that trend.



To those who argue that this electoral process is superficial and limited, I say it is a beginning, a step forward. The Arab world is short on understanding the political process through democratic means. This is one step in the right direction.  It will enhance the understanding of democracy through the execution of the voting process.



To our youth I say, get involved.  Read up on all potential candidates and exercise your right to vote. You have a voice and the right to exercise it.  Do it the democratic way. It is a vote for you and your future. It’s the road to political maturity. Do not let the opportunity go to waste.

 

The author can be reached at talmaeena@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @talmaeena