30/06/2010
Council of Saudi Chambers offering 3 proposals to support the government against corruption
Throughout their 70th Board meeting.. Giving Chambers two months period to express their opinion on the strategic plan
Board of Directors during their meeting yesterday
Photo taken by: Khaled AlKhamees, «Al-Eqtissadiyah».
The Business sector represented by Council of Saudi Chamber presented a three proposals to support the government to the fight against corruption, including: awareness of investors in this case, forming a procedures within institutions and companies, and work with relevant governmental sector in fighting this corruption and drain its resources by reviewing the trade laws.
A statement by the Council said that its 70th meeting for the Board of Directors chaired by Sheikh Saleh Kamel, confirmed the readiness of the private sector to participate in the efforts to cut off this phenomenon
Following are more details:
The Business sector represented by Council of Saudi Chamber presented a three proposals to support the government to the fight against corruption, including: awareness of investors in this case, forming a procedures within institutions and companies, and work with relevant governmental sector in fighting this corruption and drain its resources by reviewing the trade laws.
A statement by the Council during their 70th meeting for the Board of Directors chaired by Sheikh Saleh Kamel, confirmed the readiness of the private sector to participate in the efforts to cut off this phenomenon.
The meeting was attended by leaders working in Saudi private sector, heads of Chambers and Saudi businessmen; all has assured that there is deficiencies in applying the rules in the private sector which lead to the corruption and bribery that accelerate the collapse of those facilities.
Furthermore; Saleh Kamel, Head of the Council of Saudi Chambers said that 3 proposal has been proposed to achieve the participation of the Council and the private sector in its efforts to fight corruption, through the adoption of awareness programs for businessmen and businesswomen to raise their awareness of the seriousness of this phenomenon and the mechanisms of controlling it within enterprises, also introducing rules and regulations established for corruption and bribery.
Mechanisms includes a partnership with the relevant governmental sectors to fight corruption and drain its resources, by re-examine the trade laws in order to reduce the procedures that might push the businessmen to get involved in bribery, and the reduction of sudden decision, and remove the ambiguity in the proceedings, and achieving strict procurement in government and private agencies, as well as open channels that enable workers to report on the corrupt with ensuring their protection.
The meeting reviewed some features of the Strategic Plan by the Council of Saudi Chambers, which highlighted several areas of work through which the council aims to support and strengthen the role of chambers of commerce, and applying the partnership with government agencies, and contribute in achieving saudization in the private sector.
Variation in the applying Zakat:
A discussion about the suffering of business owners from the variation of Zakat and Income Tax branches in applying mechanisms of identifying the components of the Zakat contents, including the inclusion of investment loans and duplication of the mechanism of imposing Zakat, something that the Saudi business sector sees that it does not go with legitimacy of the sharia's opinion which also gives foreign companies an advantage in the Kingdom more than national companies.
Furthermore; businessmen called upon Department of Zakat and Income Tax to deal with this duality and contrast. Several mechanism and plans was proposed to address this issue
The meeting addressed a number of important economic issues having to do with national and local concerns, which discuss the latest developments, including the subject of the new electricity tariff and its impact on the business sector in the Kingdom.
The Council stressed on the importance of this consolidation and change in the agenda categories of participants from both the legal and administrative areas.
The participants ensured their support to Interior Ministry decision to prevent residents under the age of 40 from working in women shops, as a contribution from the private sector in supporting Saudization and achieve the purposes of security and economic resolution.
Saleh Kamel has praised the performance of the Council of Saudi Chambers and its secretariat, saying that its one of the most active business associations in Islamic countries, playing a major role in promoting the development of the private sector and its participation in development .
