A member of Parliament recently made an embarrassing pronouncement in the lower chamber of the National Assembly when he said that the reason why Bahrain’s national senior football won the 26th Gulf Cup held in Kuwait was due to the presence of Parliament Speaker in the stadium!
I didn’t know whether to laugh at this or dismiss it as a reflection of the MP’s hypocrisy and bankruptcy.
Honestly, how did he even have the gumption to say such a thing in the chamber? What did he gain from his utterance other than give people the chance to mock him?
All he did, in my opinion, was to undermine the tremendous efforts of people who worked tirelessly to bring home the trophy. These included officials, administrative and technical staff and players. Not to mention the support and assistance from the country’s leadership and the love of loyal Bahraini fans who landed in droves in Kuwait to cheer for their team.
I do not know in which universe the MP is living. If I was in his position, I would have formally apologised at the next session of Parliament. As the popular saying goes, ‘Admitting mistakes is a virtue’.
Enough with the comedy, and enough with becoming a laughingstock not only locally, but also across the Gulf and Arab world. The video of the MP’s clownish behaviour that spread via social media at lightning speed did not serve Bahrain or its people. Imagine the mocking comments directed at our dear country because of one MP!
I would have expected the Parliament Speaker to correct the MP’s unfair and completely unacceptable behaviour, instead of responding with a ‘Thank you’.
Personally, I do not care about this MP; he is the last of my concerns. However, what angers me is that this issue will undoubtedly negatively affect our kingdom. This antic has spread across the world, and we have become the talk of the town and a source of ridicule for many. No, and a thousand times no, we will not allow him or anyone else to appear in this way and give the wrong idea about this conscious, educated and proud people.
My earnest plea to our MPs is: Respect yourselves first and then respect the citizens. These citizens deserve all the support and appreciation, and your work in Parliament and your demands to defend the rights of citizens are at the core of your work; you are not doing us a favour. The people gave you their votes to serve them and advance them, not to produce comedy series!
The citizens are facing many pending issues that need urgent decisions to improve their living, social and economic standards. They are optimistic of Parliament voicing concerns and worries to resolve many of the basic issues. And they deserve all the sympathy, respect and appreciation.
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