Shura members want ban on women drivers lifted

[N.O.R.F]

Shura members want ban on women drivers lifted

By Mariam Al Hakeem, Correspondent

 

Riyadh: Some members of the Shura Council criticised the statement of the Shura President Shaikh Saleh Bin Humeid, in which he stated that the council did not have the authority to address the issue.

 

This has triggered a new debate over women drivers in Saudi Arabia.

 

"The Shura has been given enough powers by the kingdom's political leadership to discuss and take a decision in this regard," the members observed while renewing their call to take the initiative to get the ban on women drivers lifted.

 

The Shura rejected last week a proposal presented by one of its members, Mohammad Al Zulfa, to lift the ban. The new traffic law, which was approved by the Shura, did not address the women's driving provision.

 

Addressing the Shura Council meeting yesterday, Dr Khaleel Bin Abdullah Al Khaleel, a member of the Shura, said that skipping of an issue like women's driving on the pretext of leaving some matters to the government, will reduce the powers of the Shura and dampen hopes of its ability to fulfill the development needs of the country and aspirations of the people.

 

Supported by several members of the council, Dr Al Khaleel made a strong plea for looking into the matter again and taking a decision on the ban.

 

"There is no justification for skipping a debate on the issue as the Shura is the legitimate body to tackle such an issue on which there were serious divisions in Saudi society. There is a difference between making decisions and taking decisions. As a consultative body, the Shura should initiate deliberations on the issue and take appropriate decisions," he said while referring to Shaikh Saleh's remarks that the council has no authority to discuss the issue because of a fatwa issued by the Senior Scholars' Commission, which is the kingdom's highest legal authority to take a decision on the matter.

 

Al Zulfa introduced his proposal to lift the ban last year as part of a wider traffic law that was approved by the Shura on February 12 but failed to address the issue of women's driving. The Shura rejected the proposal, saying that women's driving was skipped over among other reasons because of a religious edict issued by the Senior Scholars' Commission on the matter. "The Shura has no powers to review the matter unless a decision to look into it was taken by the kingdom's top leadership," Shaikh Saleh said in his statement.

 

The issue sparked a heated debate in the local media with the remarks of Culture and Information Minister Eyad Madani at the recently concluded Jeddah Economic Forum.

 

He said that there was "nothing in the Saudi legislation that forbids Saudi women to apply for a driving licence. If the traffic director turns down your request, approach him and try to sort out your problem," he said.

 

Gulf News

[Pi]

God forbid that it is lifted. Imagine the Fitnah Box that would open up. :rolleyes:

[Blessed]

^Yep, those silly naago will be driving around prostituting themselves at every traffic light. :rolleyes:

 

 

I’ve read somewhere else that a woman will still need permission from Father / husband once the ban is lifted…

[Cara.]

Talk about stupidh laws.

[Castro]

^ Couldn't resist eh?

 

What do women need to drive for anyway? Even where they can legally, they suck as drivers and put all of us at risk. I'd rather they stayed off the roads.

[sheherazade]

^only cause they'd run u over carefully whilst following all the traffic rules. Women are safe drivers, u know.

[Katrina]

Atheer stop being a hypocrite, I remember many a times you sat on the passenger seat as I drove your baby! If my memory serves me correct you said I was a better driver than you!!

[makalajabti]

Originally posted by Pi:

God forbid that it is lifted. Imagine the Fitnah Box that would open up. :rolleyes:

Yep, White people in the South reacted the same way when they heard that Black slaves would be freed. They said those dumb black once free will be running around raping white women and killing whiteys for fun, they should be better kept in the plantations.

 

The World hasn't changed, "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human ********* , and I'm not sure about the former. by Albert Einstein".

[Yeniceri]

^^

 

Haha @ Einstein quote.

 

Does the same law apply to the indhoyar? Those people can't drive for sh!t. Ask anyone who's ever driven on Rainier Ave or MLK Way in south Seattle.

 

p.s. Feeri istubid law.

[J.Lee]

^ No, but at least unlike the beaners they're insured (full cover) and have a valid license.

 

If anybody should be barred from driving, it should be senior citizens especially those that drive 40 mph on the I-5 express lanes. God lord, waayeelka are so eager to meet the reaper they don't mind taking you along for company. Just plain scary.

[Lake]

Originally posted by Castro:

^ Couldn't resist eh?

 

What do women need to drive for anyway? Even where they can legally, they suck as drivers and put all of us at risk. I'd rather they stayed off the roads.

So true..fanatic extremist

If I was the head person in charge..I wouldn't allow no woman to drive

 

 

But wait before you go off

 

 

This means the ladies should have a person available to them (to drive them around) whenever needed

[Socod_badne]

Originally posted by Jimca Lee:

If anybody should be barred from driving, it should be senior citizens especially those that drive 40 mph on the I-5 express lanes. God lord, waayeelka are so eager to meet the reaper they don't mind taking you along for company. Just plain scary.

Oh Mods! Mods!!! How can you let this egregious slander against us oldsters pass without admonishment? Has it come to this... a time when anyone can feel worry-free to take gratuitous jibes at us senior citizens? At least have the human decency to delete it. This is absolutely unacceptable.

 

I feel utterly disgusted! Someone pass me a bucket I'm gonna throw up!

 

 

Jimca-Lee,

 

Awoowe, maanta aad iyo aad baadh iga xanaajisey! Saa u socotay adhoo inan fiican oo sharaf badhan lahaa baadh na hor timidh oo na ogeysiisay 'aniga waa leygu khasaaray.' Maxaa ku galay? Sheydaan baa?

[Baluug]

Just a though........is Saudi Arabia safer in terms of less traffic accidents, due to the ban on women driving?

[Zafir]

Old people are awful when it comes to having drive on same roads as us. Awful I tell ya

 

We should have certain lanes for just Oldies

[juba]

PLEASE, this has nothing to do with the incapability of a women driving but trying to keep the women as useless and oppressed as possible. If they can't drive, vote, eat, breath, walk without permission of a man it's all good :rolleyes:

 

i guess they realized women were not such a threat after all