US President Joe Biden lands in Jeddah where he will hold meetings with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Biden is expected to urge the Saudi government to ramp up oil production in a bid to rein in soaring costs.

Breaking News: President Joe Biden arrives in lands in Jeddah to reset US-Saudi Arabia ties

US President Joe Biden heads to Saudi Arabia where he will discuss energy supply, human rights, and security cooperation. Biden will also hold meetings with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

US President Joe Biden heads to Saudi Arabia to meet King and Crown Prince

US President Joe Biden heads to Saudi Arabia where he will hold meetings with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Biden's West Asia Tour: US President Joe Biden to land in Jeddah

in the face of soaring fuel prices and fears of diminishing energy supplies, US President Joe Biden held a phone call with King Salman of Saudi Arabia. It was the second reported conversation between them since Biden took office. Saudi Arabia is the largest crude exporter in the OPEC oil production group.

Biden, Saudi King discuss global oil supplies, Iran and Yemen

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine on Friday&nbsp;in the NEOM economic zone, the state news agency SPA said.

The agency posted a short video that showed a medical staff injecting the king with the vaccine.

Saudi Arabia began inoculating people in the kingdom with a COVID-19 vaccine in mid-December 2020, becoming the first Arab country to roll out the Pfizer-BioNTech jab.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-begins-coronavirus-vaccination-campaign-350684">Saudi Arabia begins coronavirus vaccination campaign</a>

The health ministry said the programme would roll out in three phases, starting with people over 65 and those with chronic ailments or at high risk of infection.

People over 50 would be vaccinated next, with everyone else included in the third stage, the ministry said, adding that the vaccine would be free for citizens and residents.

The kingdom has reported around 363,000 cases coronavirus case with 6,278 deaths,&nbsp;the highest among the Gulf Arab states.&nbsp;But the kingdom has also reported a high recovery rate.

Although it began lifting restrictions several months ago, the country has so far avoided a new wave of infections.

According to official figures,&nbsp;Saudi Arabia has a population of more than 34 million.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine on Friday in the NEOM economic zone, the state news agency SPA said. The agency posted a short video that showed a medical staff injecting the king with the vaccine.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine on Friday in the NEOM economic zone, the state news agency SPA said. The agency posted a short video that showed a medical staff injecting the king with the vaccine. Saudi Arabia began inoculating people in the kingdom with a COVID-19 vaccine in mid-December 2020, becoming the first Arab country to roll out the Pfizer-BioNTech jab. Also read: Saudi Arabia begins coronavirus vaccination campaign The health ministry said the programme would roll out in three phases, starting with people over 65 and those with chronic ailments or at high risk of infection. People over 50 would be vaccinated next, with everyone else included in the third stage, the ministry said, adding that the vaccine would be free for citizens and residents. The kingdom has reported around 363,000 cases coronavirus case with 6,278 deaths, the highest among the Gulf Arab states. But the kingdom has also reported a high recovery rate. Although it began lifting restrictions several months ago, the country has so far avoided a new wave of infections. According to official figures, Saudi Arabia has a population of more than 34 million.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman receives first dose of coronavirus vaccine

Saudi Arabia's King Salman has ordered the restructuring of key religious and administrative bodies. Will this set him on a collision course with the kingdom's powerful clergy? WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Saudi King orders key religious reforms

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Wednesday (Sept. 23) called for a comprehensive solution on Iran and disarming its affiliate Hezbollah in Lebanon, and expressed support for U.S. efforts to start talks between Israel and the Palestinians during his first address to the United Nations General Assembly.

Saudi's King Salman slams Iran at the UN General Assembly 2020

Saudi Arabia's King&nbsp;Salman&nbsp;bin Abdulaziz on Wednesday called for a comprehensive solution on Iran and disarming its affiliate Hezbollah in Lebanon, and expressed support for US&nbsp;efforts to start talks between Israel and the Palestinians during his first address to the United Nations General Assembly.

King&nbsp;Salman&nbsp;said Iran has exploited a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers "to intensify its expansionist activities, create its terrorist networks, and use terrorism," adding that this had produced nothing but "chaos, extremism, and sectarianism."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uae-scraps-israel-economic-boycott-after-us-brokered-deal-323997">UAE scraps Israel economic boycott after US-brokered deal</a>

"A comprehensive solution and a firm international position are required," he told the 193-member General Assembly in a video statement, prerecorded due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The United States quit the Iran nuclear pact in 2018 with President Donald Trump dubbing it the "worst deal ever." Washington has since imposed unilateral sanctions and asserts that all countries also have to reinstate UN&nbsp;sanctions in an attempt to push the Islamic Republic to negotiate a new deal.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/us-iran-conflict-a-high-stakes-bet-on-who-blinks-first-274636">US-Iran conflict: A high-stakes bet on who blinks first</a>

But all the remaining parties to the nuclear deal, including longtime US&nbsp;allies, and 13 of the 15 UN&nbsp;Security Council members say the US&nbsp;claim on UN&nbsp;sanctions is void and diplomats say few countries are likely to reimpose the measures.

"Our experience with the Iranian regime has taught us that partial solutions and appeasement did not stop its threats to international peace and security," King&nbsp;Salman&nbsp;said.

On attempts to mediate peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the Saudi monarch said a 2002 Arab peace initiative is the basis for a "comprehensive and just solution" ensuring the Palestinians obtain an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-the-world-reacted-to-the-israel-uae-peace-agreement-320602">How the world reacted to the Israel-UAE peace agreement</a>

"We support the efforts of the current US&nbsp;administration to achieve peace in the Middle East by bringing the Palestinians and the Israelis to the negotiation table to reach a fair and comprehensive agreement," he said.

The king stopped short of endorsing recent US-brokered agreements by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to establish ties with Israel. Saudi Arabia has quietly acquiesced to the deals but has signaled it is not ready to take action itself.

Palestinian leaders have condemned the UAE and Bahrain's warming of relations with Israel, describing it as a betrayal of their efforts to win statehood in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

King&nbsp;Salman&nbsp;also said a deadly blast in Lebanon's Beirut port last month "occurred as a result of the hegemony of Hezbollah ... over the decision-making process in Lebanon by force of arms."

"This terrorist organization must be disarmed," he said.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Wednesday called for a comprehensive solution on Iran and disarming its affiliate Hezbollah in Lebanon, and expressed support for US efforts to start talks between Israel and the Palestinians during his first address to the United Nations General Assembly.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Wednesday called for a comprehensive solution on Iran and disarming its affiliate Hezbollah in Lebanon, and expressed support for US efforts to start talks between Israel and the Palestinians during his first address to the United Nations General Assembly. King Salman said Iran has exploited a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers "to intensify its expansionist activities, create its terrorist networks, and use terrorism," adding that this had produced nothing but "chaos, extremism, and sectarianism." Also read: UAE scraps Israel economic boycott after US-brokered deal "A comprehensive solution and a firm international position are required," he told the 193-member General Assembly in a video statement, prerecorded due to the coronavirus pandemic. The United States quit the Iran nuclear pact in 2018 with President Donald Trump dubbing it the "worst deal ever." Washington has since imposed unilateral sanctions and asserts that all countries also have to reinstate UN sanctions in an attempt to push the Islamic Republic to negotiate a new deal. Also read: US-Iran conflict: A high-stakes bet on who blinks first But all the remaining parties to the nuclear deal, including longtime US allies, and 13 of the 15 UN Security Council members say the US claim on UN sanctions is void and diplomats say few countries are likely to reimpose the measures. "Our experience with the Iranian regime has taught us that partial solutions and appeasement did not stop its threats to international peace and security," King Salman said. On attempts to mediate peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the Saudi monarch said a 2002 Arab peace initiative is the basis for a "comprehensive and just solution" ensuring the Palestinians obtain an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Also see: How the world reacted to the Israel-UAE peace agreement "We support the efforts of the current US administration to achieve peace in the Middle East by bringing the Palestinians and the Israelis to the negotiation table to reach a fair and comprehensive agreement," he said. The king stopped short of endorsing recent US-brokered agreements by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to establish ties with Israel. Saudi Arabia has quietly acquiesced to the deals but has signaled it is not ready to take action itself. Palestinian leaders have condemned the UAE and Bahrain's warming of relations with Israel, describing it as a betrayal of their efforts to win statehood in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. King Salman also said a deadly blast in Lebanon's Beirut port last month "occurred as a result of the hegemony of Hezbollah ... over the decision-making process in Lebanon by force of arms." "This terrorist organization must be disarmed," he said.

UNGA 2020: Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah must be 'disarmed', says Saudi King Salman

Encouraging the United States' efforts to establish peace in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has told US President Donald Trump that they wanted a fair and permanent solution to the Palestinian issue based on kingdom's Arab Peace Initiative, proposed in 2002, according to the state news agency.&nbsp;

In a telephonic conservation with Trump, Salman appreciated US peace initiatives, in a reference to Washington-brokered accord achieved last month, according to which the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became the third country to normalise relations with Israel.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/peace-must-be-achieved-with-palestinians-then-all-things-possible-saudi-arabia-on-israel-321749">Peace must be achieved with Palestinians, then all things possible: Saudi Arabia on Israel</a>

Salman said Saudi seeks a fair and permanent solution for Palestine which is based on the based on the kingdom's peace initiatives proposed in 2002.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/qatar-emir-tells-kushner-two-state-solution-needed-to-end-palestine-israel-conflict-324831">Qatar Emir tells Kushner two-state solution needed to end Palestine-Israel conflict</a>

As per the 2002 proposal, Arab nations would normalise ties with Israel, if the Jewish nation withdraws from the territorial gains made in the 1967 war.&nbsp;

Despite not recognising Israel, Saudi Arabia this month said the kingdom would allow the use of its airspace to run flights between UAE and Israel.&nbsp;

Post the peace accord between UAE and Israel, no Arab state has hinted of a similar deal with the Jewish state.

Last month, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is seen as a major negotiator of the decades-old Arab crisis, met Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where they discussed the need to resume negotiations between Israel and Palestine.&nbsp;

(With Reuters inputs)

Encouraging the United States' efforts to establish peace in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has told US President Donald Trump that they wanted a fair and permanent solution to the Palestinian issue based on kingdom's Arab Peace Initiative, proposed in 2002, according to the state news agency.

Encouraging the United States' efforts to establish peace in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has told US President Donald Trump that they wanted a fair and permanent solution to the Palestinian issue based on kingdom's Arab Peace Initiative, proposed in 2002, according to the state news agency. In a telephonic conservation with Trump, Salman appreciated US peace initiatives, in a reference to Washington-brokered accord achieved last month, according to which the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became the third country to normalise relations with Israel. Also read | Peace must be achieved with Palestinians, then all things possible: Saudi Arabia on Israel Salman said Saudi seeks a fair and permanent solution for Palestine which is based on the based on the kingdom's peace initiatives proposed in 2002. Also read | Qatar Emir tells Kushner two-state solution needed to end Palestine-Israel conflict As per the 2002 proposal, Arab nations would normalise ties with Israel, if the Jewish nation withdraws from the territorial gains made in the 1967 war. Despite not recognising Israel, Saudi Arabia this month said the kingdom would allow the use of its airspace to run flights between UAE and Israel. Post the peace accord between UAE and Israel, no Arab state has hinted of a similar deal with the Jewish state. Last month, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is seen as a major negotiator of the decades-old Arab crisis, met Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where they discussed the need to resume negotiations between Israel and Palestine. (With Reuters inputs)

Want permanent, fair solution to Palestinian issue: Saudi King to Trump

&nbsp;Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sacked two royals and referred them along with four military officers for investigation into corruption at the defence ministry in a royal decree issued early on Tuesday and carried by state media.

The decree said Prince Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Saud would be removed as commander of joint forces in the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, and his son Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd relieved of his post as deputy governor of al-Jouf region.

It said the decision was based on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s missive to the anti-corruption committee to investigate “suspicious financial transactions at the defence ministry”.

After becoming heir to the throne in 2017 in a palace coup that ousted his predecessor, Prince Mohammed launched an anti-corruption campaign that saw scores of royals, ministers and businessmen detained at Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel. Most were released after reaching undisclosed settlements with the state.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-israeli-delegation-lands-in-abu-dhabi-on-historic-flight-324286">Also read:&nbsp;US-Israeli delegation lands in Abu Dhabi on historic flight</a>

The young prince has made fighting corruption a pillar of his reforms. Critics saw the purge as a power grab by the crown prince, who has moved to sideline any rivals to his eventual succession to the throne, take control of the country’s security apparatus and crack down on dissent.

Authorities wound down the Ritz campaign after 15 months but said the government would continue to go after graft by state employees. In March, authorities arrested nearly 300 government officials, including military and security officers, on charges involving bribery and exploiting public office.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-pm-says-many-more-secret-talks-with-arab-leaders-324135">Also read:&nbsp;Israel PM says 'many more' secret talks with Arab leaders</a>

Before becoming commander of joint forces in the coalition, Prince Fahd was commander of the Royal Saudi Ground Forces, paratroopers units and special forces, according to Saudi daily Arab News. His father was a former deputy minister of defence.

The decree said the crown prince designated Lieutenant Gen. Mutlaq bin Salem bin Mutlaq Al-Azima to replace Prince Fahd.

The coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that ousted the Saudi-backed government from power in Sanaa. The conflict, seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, has been in military stalemate for years.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sacked two royals and referred them along with four military officers for investigation into corruption at the defence ministry in a royal decree issued early on Tuesday and carried by state media.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sacked two royals and referred them along with four military officers for investigation into corruption at the defence ministry in a royal decree issued early on Tuesday and carried by state media. The decree said Prince Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Saud would be removed as commander of joint forces in the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, and his son Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd relieved of his post as deputy governor of al-Jouf region. It said the decision was based on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s missive to the anti-corruption committee to investigate “suspicious financial transactions at the defence ministry”. After becoming heir to the throne in 2017 in a palace coup that ousted his predecessor, Prince Mohammed launched an anti-corruption campaign that saw scores of royals, ministers and businessmen detained at Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel. Most were released after reaching undisclosed settlements with the state. Also read: US-Israeli delegation lands in Abu Dhabi on historic flight The young prince has made fighting corruption a pillar of his reforms. Critics saw the purge as a power grab by the crown prince, who has moved to sideline any rivals to his eventual succession to the throne, take control of the country’s security apparatus and crack down on dissent. Authorities wound down the Ritz campaign after 15 months but said the government would continue to go after graft by state employees. In March, authorities arrested nearly 300 government officials, including military and security officers, on charges involving bribery and exploiting public office. Also read: Israel PM says 'many more' secret talks with Arab leaders Before becoming commander of joint forces in the coalition, Prince Fahd was commander of the Royal Saudi Ground Forces, paratroopers units and special forces, according to Saudi daily Arab News. His father was a former deputy minister of defence. The decree said the crown prince designated Lieutenant Gen. Mutlaq bin Salem bin Mutlaq Al-Azima to replace Prince Fahd. The coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that ousted the Saudi-backed government from power in Sanaa. The conflict, seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, has been in military stalemate for years.

Saudi king sacks two royals under defence corruption probe

The King of Saudi Arabia 84-year-old ruler King Salman bin Abdulaziz has been admitted to King Faisal Specialist hospital in the capital Riyadh for medical checks, the Saudi state media reported early on Monday.

According to the news reports, the king has been admitted for inflammation of the gallbladder, Cholecystitis.

King Salman spent more than 2 years as the Saudi Crown Prince and deputy premier from June 2012 before becoming king.

He had also served as the governor of Riyadh region for more than 50 years.

(With inputs from agencies)

The King of Saudi Arabia 84-year-old ruler King Salman bin Abdulaziz has been admitted to King Faisal Specialist hospital in the capital Riyadh for medical checks, the Saudi state media reported early on Monday.

The King of Saudi Arabia 84-year-old ruler King Salman bin Abdulaziz has been admitted to King Faisal Specialist hospital in the capital Riyadh for medical checks, the Saudi state media reported early on Monday. According to the news reports, the king has been admitted for inflammation of the gallbladder, Cholecystitis. King Salman spent more than 2 years as the Saudi Crown Prince and deputy premier from June 2012 before becoming king. He had also served as the governor of Riyadh region for more than 50 years. (With inputs from agencies)

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz admitted to hospital for medical checkup

Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Thursday urged G20 leaders to take "effective and coordinated" action to combat the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-chairs-g20-crisis-talks-as-coronavirus-threatens-global-recession-288689">global crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic</a>, and called on them to assist developing nations.

While wealthy nations including the US have unveiled mammoth stimulus packages, there has so far been no collective action plan from the G20, and it has been criticised for its slow response.

In opening remarks as G20 leaders began an emergency online summit, the king detailed the havoc the pandemic has wreaked on the global economy, financial markets, trade, and global supply chains.

"We must have an effective and coordinated response to this pandemic and restore confidence in the global economy," he said.

"This human crisis requires a global response. The world counts on us to come together and cooperate in order to face this challenge."

As concerns mount for poorer countries without access to capital markets and adequate health facilities, the IMF and World Bank have urged G20 leaders to support its call for governments to put debt payments on hold.

"It is our responsibility to extend a helping hand to developing countries and least developed countries to enable them to build their capacities and improve their infrastructure to overcome this crisis and its repercussions," King Salman said.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Thursday urged G20 leaders to take "effective and coordinated" action to combat the global crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, and called on them to assist developing nations.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Thursday urged G20 leaders to take "effective and coordinated" action to combat the global crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, and called on them to assist developing nations. While wealthy nations including the US have unveiled mammoth stimulus packages, there has so far been no collective action plan from the G20, and it has been criticised for its slow response. In opening remarks as G20 leaders began an emergency online summit, the king detailed the havoc the pandemic has wreaked on the global economy, financial markets, trade, and global supply chains. "We must have an effective and coordinated response to this pandemic and restore confidence in the global economy," he said. "This human crisis requires a global response. The world counts on us to come together and cooperate in order to face this challenge." As concerns mount for poorer countries without access to capital markets and adequate health facilities, the IMF and World Bank have urged G20 leaders to support its call for governments to put debt payments on hold. "It is our responsibility to extend a helping hand to developing countries and least developed countries to enable them to build their capacities and improve their infrastructure to overcome this crisis and its repercussions," King Salman said.

Saudi king urges 'effective' G20 response to virus crisis in video conference

WION has learned that the G20 nations will be holding an emergency virtual summit on March 26 and the agenda will be - how to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. The countries are expected to form a joint strategy to tackle the outbreak. The meet will be chaired by Saudi King Salman.

G20 leaders to hold virtual meeting tomorrow on coronavirus Pandemic

Florida government says Saudi Arabia owes a debt to victims.

Florida Naval Base Shooting: Saudi King reaches out to Donald Trump

President Donald Trump made an undiplomatic remark about close ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, saying he warned Saudi Arabia’s King Salman he would not last in power “for two weeks” without the backing of the US&nbsp;military.

“We protect Saudi Arabia. Would you say they’re rich. And I love the King, King Salman. But I said ‘King - we’re protecting you-you might not be there for two weeks without us - you have to pay for your military,’” Trump said to cheers at a rally in Southaven, Mississippi.

Trump did not say when he made those remarks to the Saudi monarch.

Despite the harsh words, the Trump administration has had a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, which it views as a bulwark against Iran’s ambitions in the region.

Trump made Saudi Arabia his first stop on his maiden international trip as president last year.

Trump called King Salman on Saturday and they discussed efforts being made to maintain supplies to ensure oil market stability and global economic growth, according to Saudi state news agency SPA.

Saudi Arabia is the world’s top oil exporter and the de facto leader of OPEC, which has been criticized by Trump for high oil prices.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, Trump said OPEC members were “as usual ripping off the rest of the world.”

“We defend many of these nations for nothing, and then they take advantage of us by giving us high oil prices. Not good. We want them to stop raising prices, we want them to start lowering prices,” Trump said.

He has also pressed other US&nbsp;allies, such as Japan, South Korea and Germany, to take more of the financial burden of their defense.

President Donald Trump made an undiplomatic remark about close ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, saying he warned Saudi Arabia’s King Salman he would not last in power “for two weeks” without the backing of the US military.

President Donald Trump made an undiplomatic remark about close ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, saying he warned Saudi Arabia’s King Salman he would not last in power “for two weeks” without the backing of the US military. “We protect Saudi Arabia. Would you say they’re rich. And I love the King, King Salman. But I said ‘King - we’re protecting you-you might not be there for two weeks without us - you have to pay for your military,’” Trump said to cheers at a rally in Southaven, Mississippi. Trump did not say when he made those remarks to the Saudi monarch. Despite the harsh words, the Trump administration has had a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, which it views as a bulwark against Iran’s ambitions in the region. Trump made Saudi Arabia his first stop on his maiden international trip as president last year. Trump called King Salman on Saturday and they discussed efforts being made to maintain supplies to ensure oil market stability and global economic growth, according to Saudi state news agency SPA. Saudi Arabia is the world’s top oil exporter and the de facto leader of OPEC, which has been criticized by Trump for high oil prices. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, Trump said OPEC members were “as usual ripping off the rest of the world.” “We defend many of these nations for nothing, and then they take advantage of us by giving us high oil prices. Not good. We want them to stop raising prices, we want them to start lowering prices,” Trump said. He has also pressed other US allies, such as Japan, South Korea and Germany, to take more of the financial burden of their defense.

I told Saudi king he wouldn't last without US support: Trump

With princes not spared charges of corruption and women granted permission to start driving, Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Vision 2030 is certainly displaying its credibility. The Saudi government has stated that women will be permitted to drive cars from June next year. At present, regulations regarding this are being worked upon.

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Interestingly, &#39;news&#39; of Saudi women being permitted to drive has been accorded substantial media coverage, more than most news items regarding the kingdom usually are. This isn&rsquo;t surprising. The hard truth is that in most non-Arab countries, a stereotyped image of Saudi Arabia prevails.

Yes, there is no denying that the trend in most parts of the world is to think of Saudi Arabia primarily as an oil country and a conservative Islamic country where Muslims periodically gather for pilgrimage. There is also the perception that women here are discriminated against. Besides, the spread of conflict in several Arab nations has enhanced the negative perception of linking Muslims with terrorism.

These factors apparently prompted Saudi King and Crown Prince to move ahead with some dynamic measures needed to change the opinion of others towards Saudi Arabia. If they had not come out with Vision 2030, in all probability the Kingdom would not have attracted much attention.

Careful analysis of this programme suggests that it was probably viewed as pertinent to prevent Saudi citizens from losing hope in coming years, to instil confidence in them about their promising future and also to derail prospects of regional chaos spilling into the Kingdom. After all, landmark, set for 2030, that is 17 years from now, carries promises for children as well as the youth of today. They include women, as laid out specifically in the Vision.

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A close analysis of Saudi women&rsquo;s status suggests that issue of their being permitted to drive is not the first or only step taken by the Saudi government for their progress. It may be recalled, in 1957, with the support of the then King&rsquo;s wife, private schools for girls were established in Jeddah. Though there were protests in certain areas, this movement continued and from the late 1970s, university education for women was paid greater attention.

The same drive is expected to be continued with greater dynamism through Vision 2030. Drawing attention to high literacy rate of Saudi women and their being engaged in development of country&rsquo;s society and economy, the Vision diligently states, &ldquo;With over 50 percent of our university graduates being female, we will continue to develop their talents, invest in their productive capabilities and enable them to strengthen their future and contribute to the development of our society and economy.&rdquo; The Vision also plans to raise a percentage of Saudi women employment rate from 12 per cent to 40 per cent and increase their participation in the workforce from 22 per cent to 30 per cent.

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Slowly but definitely, the Kingdom has been taking strides to ensure progress of Saudi women and also change stereotyped image held about them as well as the country. Less than a decade ago, the first women to hold a cabinet post was Norah Al Faiz. She was appointed as deputy minister of education in charge of women&rsquo;s affairs in February 2009. The period was also marked by visits between Saudi Arabia and several countries, with delegations including women. When Saudi King visited India as the Republic Day Chief Guest (2006), the media delegation included women.

Vision 2030&rsquo;s agenda resting on three pillars, with first being religious and other two being economically as well as regionally oriented, was certainly not conceived and/or planned overnight. The steps being taken over past few decades, for instance, regarding the progress of women, are a testimony to this fact. Earlier this year, Vision 2030 led to Sarah Al Suhaini&rsquo;s appointment as chair of Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s stock exchange. A woman has been appointed to this position for the first time in this country.

Besides, Rania Mahmoud Nashar was appointed as chief executive of Samba Financial Group, one of the country&rsquo;s largest national banks and Latifa Al-Sabhan as a chief financial officer of Arab National Bank. Globally, only around four per cent, women chair boards and around 12 percent hold board seats.

The emphasis laid in Vision 2030 to create job opportunities for Saudi youth and ensure their qualifications to build a vibrant and ambitious nation is directed towards gaining their confidence. And this apparently is viewed as vital to maintain political stability in the country. Crisis elsewhere in the Arab world has been primarily linked with unemployment faced by youth there.

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The ruling monarchy is well aware that at this stage it cannot afford to lose the confidence of its youth. More than 50 percent of the Saudi population is below the age of 25 years. The Vision states, &ldquo;We will guarantee their skills are developed and properly deployed.&rdquo; A priority of Vision towards Saudi Arabia emerging as a &ldquo;global investment powerhouse&rdquo; and a &ldquo;regional leader,&rdquo; also guarantees citizens of employment opportunities in their own country.

The iron hand with which several Saudi princes and ministers have recently been arrested and/or dismissed on charges of corruption cannot be de-linked from Vision 2030. This sudden move may be viewed as yet another step to boost people&rsquo;s confidence in the &ldquo;ambitious&rdquo; Vision and that the country is &ldquo;effectively governed.&rdquo; The Vision states, &ldquo;We shall have zero tolerance for all levels of corruption, whether administrative or financial.&rdquo;

Overall, a greater thrust of Vision is on Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s economic drive, globally, regionally and nationally. There is an also economic angle behind Saudi women being permitted to drive. Drivers employed in Saudi Arabia form around 60 per cent of foreign domestic workers. The remittances from drivers that leaves Saudi Arabia annually is higher than four billion dollars.

When women actually start driving, it is expected to spell advantages for Saudi Arabia socially and economically. Also, it wouldn&rsquo;t be surprising to see global media paying attention to the country through a new lens, for a change, which is not totally tainted with a negative approach. Vision 2030 is thus directed not just towards the agenda outlined in it but also compel people across the world to change their stereotyped perceptions about Saudi Arabia!

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

A priority of Vision towards Saudi Arabia emerging as a ?global investment powerhouse? and a ?regional leader,? guarantees employment opportunities and basic rights

With princes not spared charges of corruption and women granted permission to start driving, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is certainly displaying its credibility. The Saudi government has stated that women will be permitted to drive cars from June next year. At present, regulations regarding this are being worked upon. The hard truth is that in most non-Arab countries, a stereotyped image of Saudi Arabia prevails. × Interestingly, 'news' of Saudi women being permitted to drive has been accorded substantial media coverage, more than most news items regarding the kingdom usually are. This isn’t surprising. The hard truth is that in most non-Arab countries, a stereotyped image of Saudi Arabia prevails. Yes, there is no denying that the trend in most parts of the world is to think of Saudi Arabia primarily as an oil country and a conservative Islamic country where Muslims periodically gather for pilgrimage. There is also the perception that women here are discriminated against. Besides, the spread of conflict in several Arab nations has enhanced the negative perception of linking Muslims with terrorism. These factors apparently prompted Saudi King and Crown Prince to move ahead with some dynamic measures needed to change the opinion of others towards Saudi Arabia. If they had not come out with Vision 2030, in all probability the Kingdom would not have attracted much attention. Careful analysis of this programme suggests that it was probably viewed as pertinent to prevent Saudi citizens from losing hope in coming years, to instil confidence in them about their promising future and also to derail prospects of regional chaos spilling into the Kingdom. After all, landmark, set for 2030, that is 17 years from now, carries promises for children as well as the youth of today. They include women, as laid out specifically in the Vision. The Vision 2030 also plans to raise a percentage of Saudi women employment rate from 12 per cent to 40 per cent and increase their participation in the workforce from 22 per cent to 30 per cent. × A close analysis of Saudi women’s status suggests that issue of their being permitted to drive is not the first or only step taken by the Saudi government for their progress. It may be recalled, in 1957, with the support of the then King’s wife, private schools for girls were established in Jeddah. Though there were protests in certain areas, this movement continued and from the late 1970s, university education for women was paid greater attention. The same drive is expected to be continued with greater dynamism through Vision 2030. Drawing attention to high literacy rate of Saudi women and their being engaged in development of country’s society and economy, the Vision diligently states, “With over 50 percent of our university graduates being female, we will continue to develop their talents, invest in their productive capabilities and enable them to strengthen their future and contribute to the development of our society and economy.” The Vision also plans to raise a percentage of Saudi women employment rate from 12 per cent to 40 per cent and increase their participation in the workforce from 22 per cent to 30 per cent. Slowly but definitely, the Kingdom has been taking strides to ensure progress of Saudi women and also change stereotyped image held about them as well as the country. × Slowly but definitely, the Kingdom has been taking strides to ensure progress of Saudi women and also change stereotyped image held about them as well as the country. Less than a decade ago, the first women to hold a cabinet post was Norah Al Faiz. She was appointed as deputy minister of education in charge of women’s affairs in February 2009. The period was also marked by visits between Saudi Arabia and several countries, with delegations including women. When Saudi King visited India as the Republic Day Chief Guest (2006), the media delegation included women. Vision 2030’s agenda resting on three pillars, with first being religious and other two being economically as well as regionally oriented, was certainly not conceived and/or planned overnight. The steps being taken over past few decades, for instance, regarding the progress of women, are a testimony to this fact. Earlier this year, Vision 2030 led to Sarah Al Suhaini’s appointment as chair of Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange. A woman has been appointed to this position for the first time in this country. Besides, Rania Mahmoud Nashar was appointed as chief executive of Samba Financial Group, one of the country’s largest national banks and Latifa Al-Sabhan as a chief financial officer of Arab National Bank. Globally, only around four per cent, women chair boards and around 12 percent hold board seats. The emphasis laid in Vision 2030 to create job opportunities for Saudi youth and ensure their qualifications to build a vibrant and ambitious nation is directed towards gaining their confidence. And this apparently is viewed as vital to maintain political stability in the country. Crisis elsewhere in the Arab world has been primarily linked with unemployment faced by youth there. The ruling monarchy is well aware that at this stage it cannot afford to lose confidence of its youth. × The ruling monarchy is well aware that at this stage it cannot afford to lose the confidence of its youth. More than 50 percent of the Saudi population is below the age of 25 years. The Vision states, “We will guarantee their skills are developed and properly deployed.” A priority of Vision towards Saudi Arabia emerging as a “global investment powerhouse” and a “regional leader,” also guarantees citizens of employment opportunities in their own country. The iron hand with which several Saudi princes and ministers have recently been arrested and/or dismissed on charges of corruption cannot be de-linked from Vision 2030. This sudden move may be viewed as yet another step to boost people’s confidence in the “ambitious” Vision and that the country is “effectively governed.” The Vision states, “We shall have zero tolerance for all levels of corruption, whether administrative or financial.” Overall, a greater thrust of Vision is on Saudi Arabia’s economic drive, globally, regionally and nationally. There is an also economic angle behind Saudi women being permitted to drive. Drivers employed in Saudi Arabia form around 60 per cent of foreign domestic workers. The remittances from drivers that leaves Saudi Arabia annually is higher than four billion dollars. When women actually start driving, it is expected to spell advantages for Saudi Arabia socially and economically. Also, it wouldn’t be surprising to see global media paying attention to the country through a new lens, for a change, which is not totally tainted with a negative approach. Vision 2030 is thus directed not just towards the agenda outlined in it but also compel people across the world to change their stereotyped perceptions about Saudi Arabia! (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Vision 2030 embodies Saudi quest for modernity

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has cancelled his state visit to the Maldives over the H1N1 outbreak in the island nation.&nbsp;

The government of Maldives announced the postponement of the Saudi king&#39;s visit in an emergency press conference held at the President&#39;s Office on Friday morning.

During the press conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohamed Asim, said that when the fresh dates are confirmed for the king&#39;s visit, it will&nbsp;be announced.&nbsp;

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz was scheduled to visit Maldives tomorrow as a last destination of his month-long Asia tour.&nbsp;

The monarch has already been to Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and he is now in China. He was supposed to arrive in&nbsp;Maldives on Saturday, and&nbsp;was scheduled to spend a week in the Indian Ocean archipelago, out of which six days were planned as a holiday.

Maldives government had been preparing for the monarch&#39;s visit; Rehearsing for a red carpet welcome and conducting security drills.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, H1N1 influenza outbreak in the island nation has been spreading. More than 100 people have&nbsp;tested positive for H1N1 so far. Two people have died of the flu:&nbsp;A&nbsp;man in his twenties died early in March, while a 51-year-old woman died late Wednesday.

In the attempt to control the outbreak, schools, colleges, and universities have been shut for the time being, and the general public have been&nbsp;advised not to travel unless it&#39;s deemed absolutely necessary.&nbsp;

As pregnant women are one of the groups vulnerable to the outbreak, the government has temporarily relieved pregnant civil servants of duty as a precaution. Several independent authorities have relieved pregnant staff&nbsp;as well.&nbsp;

(WION)

The Saudi King will reschedule his visit as the influenza outbreak hits the island nation. Meanwhile, residents are also taking precautions

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has cancelled his state visit to the Maldives over the H1N1 outbreak in the island nation. The government of Maldives announced the postponement of the Saudi king's visit in an emergency press conference held at the President's Office on Friday morning. During the press conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohamed Asim, said that when the fresh dates are confirmed for the king's visit, it will be announced. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz was scheduled to visit Maldives tomorrow as a last destination of his month-long Asia tour. The monarch has already been to Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and he is now in China. He was supposed to arrive in Maldives on Saturday, and was scheduled to spend a week in the Indian Ocean archipelago, out of which six days were planned as a holiday. Maldives government had been preparing for the monarch's visit; Rehearsing for a red carpet welcome and conducting security drills. Meanwhile, H1N1 influenza outbreak in the island nation has been spreading. More than 100 people have tested positive for H1N1 so far. Two people have died of the flu: A man in his twenties died early in March, while a 51-year-old woman died late Wednesday. In the attempt to control the outbreak, schools, colleges, and universities have been shut for the time being, and the general public have been advised not to travel unless it's deemed absolutely necessary. As pregnant women are one of the groups vulnerable to the outbreak, the government has temporarily relieved pregnant civil servants of duty as a precaution. Several independent authorities have relieved pregnant staff as well. (WION)

Saudi King postpones state visit to Maldives over H1N1 outbreak

Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s King Salman and a 500-member plus entourage visited Malaysia and are now in Indonesia. The Saudis will holiday there and then travel onwards to Brunei, the Maldives, Japan and China. Saudi Arabia is ostensibly seeking and offering investment, among others a Joint Venture with South East Asian oil companies. But is he also there as a public relations act to fortify Wahabi Islam, the rapidly spreading and rigid form as practised in Saudi Arabia.

WION&rsquo;s Senior International Correspondent Padma Rao Sundarji spoke to Malaysian activist Marina Mahathir. She is the daughter of Mahathir Mohammed, the longest-serving former Prime Minister of Malaysia and also at the forefront of activism against what she calls &ldquo;Arab colonialism&rdquo;. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Ms Mahathir, Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s King Salman is currently visiting your region with a huge entourage and will remain in Asia for an entire month. You have often warned of &lsquo;&rsquo;Arab Colonialism&rdquo; in Malaysia. Does that warning extend to the entire South East Asian region and if so, are your own Islamic scholars doing anything about it?

Mahathir: They claim to be. But it&rsquo;s not very effective because they are giving out mixed messages. On the one hand, they talk about how people should not go off to join IS. They are very concerned about potential recruits for IS. But at the same time, they are also extremely conservative and not very tolerant of anything that is not part of the Sunni sect of Islam. Malaysian Muslims have been increasingly taking on Arab forms of dress, even Arab forms of speaking. Most of us do not speak Arabic but to show their Islamic credentials, some people will start a speech in Arabic without translating it, for instance. Additionally, there is almost a rejection of our own local culture. There is a lot of Malay culture that has been banned or downgraded or neglected. I feel very much that we are losing our identity and becoming more and more alien to our culture. And I see that also in other parts of Muslim parts of South Asia but I think it is more obvious here because we are a Muslim majority country but much smaller. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Does this &ldquo;Arab colonialism&rdquo; target women in particular? Have there been sudden, new diktats on how to dress, how to and what to speak? 
&nbsp; 
Mahathir: I think the most obvious is in the way that some women dress. Suddenly, we see a lot of women favouring the long caftan-like outfit, rather than our traditional dress. Whether out of fashion sense or comfort, it&rsquo;s still quite worrying to see so many women doing so and neglecting our own, traditional outfits. I&rsquo;ve started seeing quite a few niqabs,&nbsp;the face-covering head-dress. It is completely alien to our culture and I am wondering where it came from. But on the other hand, we&rsquo;ve made so many forward strides since independence that it&rsquo;s very hard to roll all that back. So nobody has dared to suggest that women in Malaysia cannot drive, and that sort of thing. But still, in terms of personal laws -- that&rsquo;s where my organisation comes in and -- we&rsquo;re very worried about this trend. Of course, the most worrying thing is the move first by the opposition and now by our government, to push forward what we call the hudood bill. It is intended to make Shariah courts more powerful than they have ever been and to implement so-called Islamic laws for various crimes. That&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s worrying. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: On a scale of 1-10, to what extent is Saudi Arabia itself responsible for this radicalisation? Does the inspiration come from this one country alone? Or are there other causes too?

Mahathir: They are a factor perhaps a five on that scale. But there are many other reasons. The sluggish economy, lots of listless men who have nothing to do and get attracted to this type of ideology. In addition, we have a government that is politicising religion, that seems to be in a race with the opposition to show who is more Islamic. It all combines to move towards this type of radicalisation. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Still, there was some good news today. An appeals court overthrew an earlier decision against your petition for a judicial review of a fatwa issued against your organisation, The Sisters of Islam and has ordered the courts to look at it again. Does your petition have widespread support both in Malaysia and elsewhere in South East Asia?

Mahathir: I wouldn&rsquo;t call it widespread. There are certainly many people watching it and we are very happy with the unanimous decision by the appeals court judges to allow the judicial review. But we face challenges all the time. Even the fact that the fatwa is supposedly on hold, doesn&rsquo;t stop sermons being read against us or all sorts of other attempts to harass us every day. So yes, it was a good day today but we still face long challenges and I am sure it will not be easy, once we go back to court to hear the judicial review. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Are such fatwas new? &nbsp;Do you feel that these recent fatwas are also due to growing Saudi influence?

Mahathir: Yes, I do think that there have been more in the past ten years. Partly because of all circumstances, not just the Saudi influence, particularly the politicisation of religion in this country and the competition between the government and the Islamist party. With the ruling party losing the 2/3rds majority in parliament, it is trying to win back rural voters who are mostly Muslim and thinks this is the best way to do so. They&rsquo;ve mounted a campaign against pluralism, liberalism, Shias &ndash; all very similar to Saudi-style Islam. And we are caught in it and are very big targets because we are women talking about religion. And we&rsquo;ve been around for long. We are not unused to this type of harassment. But we feel that it has become more intense nowadays and that&rsquo;s because it&rsquo;s being weaponised by the government. The Islamic Development Agency, a government body in the PM&rsquo;s department, enjoys a budget of 1 billion Ringgit. Considering they don&rsquo;t have that much to do, what&rsquo;s all that money for? &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Saudi Arabian King Salman is on a month-long Asia visit, supposedly to firm up oil deals, investments, business. But is that all there is to the trip? Or is there more than meets the eye? He is, after all, also going to the Maldives &ndash; and Wahabi Islam has been on the rise there too&hellip;

Mahathir: I am no expert. But I think there is probably a different agenda, though perhaps not a conscious one. It&rsquo;s probably to make an impression upon the Muslims here, to dazzle them with the huge entourage and the money being thrown around in such a way, that they somehow equate all this wealth with Islam. It&rsquo;s kind of a PR campaign: to promote a certain brand of Islam without considering that our part of the world is very, very different from Saudi Arabia. 
&nbsp; 
PRS:&nbsp;Is this attempt to impress aimed primarily at the grassroots? People, who are dependent on tourism?

Mahathir: I don&rsquo;t know how much money will actually reach the grassroots. After all, they&rsquo;re staying in luxury<a class="V4K1n6ka LoGF30kb145kc" href="#86321189" style="z-index: 2147483647;" title="Click to Continue &gt; by Advertisement"> </a>hotels and no middle-class people go there. But okay, the odd waiter may get a huge tip. A lot of Asians have this &ldquo;Big Man Syndrome.&rdquo; &nbsp;A big man is surely entitled to all these luxuries and privileges, is the thinking. And it&rsquo;s all very impressive to the grassroots. What&rsquo;s worse is, the visit is being spun politically here in Malaysia. Our PM is justifying a controversial goods and service tax, a one-off payment to poor families, all only because Saudi Arabia has those provisions in place. So everything is being justified in relation to Saudi Arabia. In a way, that is saying that if Saudi Arabia is doing something then it must be a good thing and by implication, also an Islamic thing. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
PRS: King Salman travelled to Malaysia first, before flying to Indonesia. How did people in your country react? Were there protests?

Mahathir: We Malaysians are a very passive lot. Nobody really protested. It was more like grumbling about a big dignitary being in town and causing traffic jams. But I am quite impressed by Indonesian women who have come out to protest against his visit, principally because of the sufferings of a number of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Do you have a sizeable Hindu population in Malaysia? Or even a small but influential one?

Mahathir: About 10 per cent of our population is of subcontinental origin. They are grouped as Indians&nbsp;but are not necessarily all Hindus. There is a nascent Hindu movement because of many cases of discrimination. &nbsp;There is also an Indian component party of the ruling coalition but they did so badly in the party elections, so they have much of a voice anymore. Unfortunately, we are all living under a very domineering government. It is hard for minorities but even for Muslims who don&rsquo;t agree with the government line. For them, there&rsquo;s no space. &nbsp;

(WION)

The activist spoke to WION about 'Arab colonialism' and what King Salman's visit means for the country and the region as a whole

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and a 500-member plus entourage visited Malaysia and are now in Indonesia. The Saudis will holiday there and then travel onwards to Brunei, the Maldives, Japan and China. Saudi Arabia is ostensibly seeking and offering investment, among others a Joint Venture with South East Asian oil companies. But is he also there as a public relations act to fortify Wahabi Islam, the rapidly spreading and rigid form as practised in Saudi Arabia. WION’s Senior International Correspondent Padma Rao Sundarji spoke to Malaysian activist Marina Mahathir. She is the daughter of Mahathir Mohammed, the longest-serving former Prime Minister of Malaysia and also at the forefront of activism against what she calls “Arab colonialism”. PRS: Ms Mahathir, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman is currently visiting your region with a huge entourage and will remain in Asia for an entire month. You have often warned of ‘’Arab Colonialism” in Malaysia. Does that warning extend to the entire South East Asian region and if so, are your own Islamic scholars doing anything about it? Mahathir: They claim to be. But it’s not very effective because they are giving out mixed messages. On the one hand, they talk about how people should not go off to join IS. They are very concerned about potential recruits for IS. But at the same time, they are also extremely conservative and not very tolerant of anything that is not part of the Sunni sect of Islam. Malaysian Muslims have been increasingly taking on Arab forms of dress, even Arab forms of speaking. Most of us do not speak Arabic but to show their Islamic credentials, some people will start a speech in Arabic without translating it, for instance. Additionally, there is almost a rejection of our own local culture. There is a lot of Malay culture that has been banned or downgraded or neglected. I feel very much that we are losing our identity and becoming more and more alien to our culture. And I see that also in other parts of Muslim parts of South Asia but I think it is more obvious here because we are a Muslim majority country but much smaller. PRS: Does this “Arab colonialism” target women in particular? Have there been sudden, new diktats on how to dress, how to and what to speak? Mahathir: I think the most obvious is in the way that some women dress. Suddenly, we see a lot of women favouring the long caftan-like outfit, rather than our traditional dress. Whether out of fashion sense or comfort, it’s still quite worrying to see so many women doing so and neglecting our own, traditional outfits. I’ve started seeing quite a few niqabs, the face-covering head-dress. It is completely alien to our culture and I am wondering where it came from. But on the other hand, we’ve made so many forward strides since independence that it’s very hard to roll all that back. So nobody has dared to suggest that women in Malaysia cannot drive, and that sort of thing. But still, in terms of personal laws -- that’s where my organisation comes in and -- we’re very worried about this trend. Of course, the most worrying thing is the move first by the opposition and now by our government, to push forward what we call the hudood bill. It is intended to make Shariah courts more powerful than they have ever been and to implement so-called Islamic laws for various crimes. That’s what’s worrying. PRS: On a scale of 1-10, to what extent is Saudi Arabia itself responsible for this radicalisation? Does the inspiration come from this one country alone? Or are there other causes too? Mahathir: They are a factor perhaps a five on that scale. But there are many other reasons. The sluggish economy, lots of listless men who have nothing to do and get attracted to this type of ideology. In addition, we have a government that is politicising religion, that seems to be in a race with the opposition to show who is more Islamic. It all combines to move towards this type of radicalisation. PRS: Still, there was some good news today. An appeals court overthrew an earlier decision against your petition for a judicial review of a fatwa issued against your organisation, The Sisters of Islam and has ordered the courts to look at it again. Does your petition have widespread support both in Malaysia and elsewhere in South East Asia? Mahathir: I wouldn’t call it widespread. There are certainly many people watching it and we are very happy with the unanimous decision by the appeals court judges to allow the judicial review. But we face challenges all the time. Even the fact that the fatwa is supposedly on hold, doesn’t stop sermons being read against us or all sorts of other attempts to harass us every day. So yes, it was a good day today but we still face long challenges and I am sure it will not be easy, once we go back to court to hear the judicial review. PRS: Are such fatwas new? Do you feel that these recent fatwas are also due to growing Saudi influence? Mahathir: Yes, I do think that there have been more in the past ten years. Partly because of all circumstances, not just the Saudi influence, particularly the politicisation of religion in this country and the competition between the government and the Islamist party. With the ruling party losing the 2/3rds majority in parliament, it is trying to win back rural voters who are mostly Muslim and thinks this is the best way to do so. They’ve mounted a campaign against pluralism, liberalism, Shias – all very similar to Saudi-style Islam. And we are caught in it and are very big targets because we are women talking about religion. And we’ve been around for long. We are not unused to this type of harassment. But we feel that it has become more intense nowadays and that’s because it’s being weaponised by the government. The Islamic Development Agency, a government body in the PM’s department, enjoys a budget of 1 billion Ringgit. Considering they don’t have that much to do, what’s all that money for? PRS: Saudi Arabian King Salman is on a month-long Asia visit, supposedly to firm up oil deals, investments, business. But is that all there is to the trip? Or is there more than meets the eye? He is, after all, also going to the Maldives – and Wahabi Islam has been on the rise there too… Mahathir: I am no expert. But I think there is probably a different agenda, though perhaps not a conscious one. It’s probably to make an impression upon the Muslims here, to dazzle them with the huge entourage and the money being thrown around in such a way, that they somehow equate all this wealth with Islam. It’s kind of a PR campaign: to promote a certain brand of Islam without considering that our part of the world is very, very different from Saudi Arabia. PRS: Is this attempt to impress aimed primarily at the grassroots? People, who are dependent on tourism? Mahathir: I don’t know how much money will actually reach the grassroots. After all, they’re staying in luxury hotels and no middle-class people go there. But okay, the odd waiter may get a huge tip. A lot of Asians have this “Big Man Syndrome.” A big man is surely entitled to all these luxuries and privileges, is the thinking. And it’s all very impressive to the grassroots. What’s worse is, the visit is being spun politically here in Malaysia. Our PM is justifying a controversial goods and service tax, a one-off payment to poor families, all only because Saudi Arabia has those provisions in place. So everything is being justified in relation to Saudi Arabia. In a way, that is saying that if Saudi Arabia is doing something then it must be a good thing and by implication, also an Islamic thing. PRS: King Salman travelled to Malaysia first, before flying to Indonesia. How did people in your country react? Were there protests? Mahathir: We Malaysians are a very passive lot. Nobody really protested. It was more like grumbling about a big dignitary being in town and causing traffic jams. But I am quite impressed by Indonesian women who have come out to protest against his visit, principally because of the sufferings of a number of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. PRS: Do you have a sizeable Hindu population in Malaysia? Or even a small but influential one? Mahathir: About 10 per cent of our population is of subcontinental origin. They are grouped as Indians but are not necessarily all Hindus. There is a nascent Hindu movement because of many cases of discrimination. There is also an Indian component party of the ruling coalition but they did so badly in the party elections, so they have much of a voice anymore. Unfortunately, we are all living under a very domineering government. It is hard for minorities but even for Muslims who don’t agree with the government line. For them, there’s no space. (WION)

Exclusive: Marina Mahathir on Saudi king's visit to Malaysia

Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj today said that the king of Saudi Arabia has assured of help to thousands of laid-off Indian workers stranded in his country. 
 
Swaraj, who was addressing the Lower House of Parliament, said that the king has also given orders to resolve the issue within two days. 
 
&quot;I am happy to tell you that Saudi authorities have taken note of the issues that I had discussed and Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz has given orders that this issue must be resolved within two days. When V.K. Singh reached there he met their labour and social development minister, Haqbani (Mufrej Al Haqbani),&quot; said Swaraj. 
 
Regarding the dues of workers, the minister said, their claims will be settled even after their return. 
 
&quot;They have accepted that every worker will file their individual claim in the labour office before coming back. The labour office will work with Indian embassy in Riyadh and will settle all the claims. They will get their money even after coming back to India,&quot; said Swaraj. 
 
She added that the Saudi administration was also making arrangements to provide food and other assistance to the workers. 
 
The Consulate General of India in Jeddah said on its official Twitter feed on Saturday that it had distributed 15,475 kg of food over the past three days in association with the Indian community. 
 
Low oil prices have forced the Saudi government to slash spending since last year, putting pressure on the finances of local construction firms which rely on state contracts. 
 
As a result, some companies have been struggling to pay foreign workers and have laid off tens of thousands, leaving many with no money for food, let alone tickets for home. 
 
The hardships faced by Indian migrants come amid rising protests against working conditions in Saudi Arabia. 
 
(Reuters)

Swaraj said Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz has given orders to resolve the issue of stranded workers within two days

Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj today said that the king of Saudi Arabia has assured of help to thousands of laid-off Indian workers stranded in his country. Swaraj, who was addressing the Lower House of Parliament, said that the king has also given orders to resolve the issue within two days. "I am happy to tell you that Saudi authorities have taken note of the issues that I had discussed and Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz has given orders that this issue must be resolved within two days. When V.K. Singh reached there he met their labour and social development minister, Haqbani (Mufrej Al Haqbani)," said Swaraj. Regarding the dues of workers, the minister said, their claims will be settled even after their return. "They have accepted that every worker will file their individual claim in the labour office before coming back. The labour office will work with Indian embassy in Riyadh and will settle all the claims. They will get their money even after coming back to India," said Swaraj. She added that the Saudi administration was also making arrangements to provide food and other assistance to the workers. The Consulate General of India in Jeddah said on its official Twitter feed on Saturday that it had distributed 15,475 kg of food over the past three days in association with the Indian community. Low oil prices have forced the Saudi government to slash spending since last year, putting pressure on the finances of local construction firms which rely on state contracts. As a result, some companies have been struggling to pay foreign workers and have laid off tens of thousands, leaving many with no money for food, let alone tickets for home. The hardships faced by Indian migrants come amid rising protests against working conditions in Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)

Saudi King assured help to stranded workers: Indian foreign minister Swaraj

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