تمويل الحملات الانتخابية: ما هو المصدر وما هو السقف؟

PM pledges free, fair polls

AMMAN (JT) - The government is doing its utmost to encourage people’s participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections and ensure free and fair polls, Prime Minister Samir Rifai said.

During a visit to the southern Karak Governorate on Sunday, Rifai stressed the government’s keenness to facilitate the electoral process in the various electoral districts, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

At Southern Mazaar Civil Status and Passports Department, Rifai checked on progress in the voter registration process and listened to remarks by citizens who happened to be at the department, Petra said.

Accompanied by Interior Minister Nayef Qadi, the premier was briefed by the department’s director, Marwan Qteishat, on procedures taken to ensure smooth registration of voters.

Around 300,000 citizens turned 18 by January. This category is the target of efforts led by the premier to encourage youth participation in the parliamentary polls, to be held before year-end.

Qteishat said large numbers of citizens, especially young people, visited the department to obtain identification cards on which their constituencies are recorded.

Underlining the government’s decision to exempt these people from card issuance fees, Qteishat also highlighted another decision, taken upon the premier’s directives, to dispatch civil status teams to universities and colleges to facilitate students’ registration for the polls.

An office will be opened at the Karak-based Muta University for this purpose on June 20, he indicated.

On Saturday, elections spokesperson Samih Maaytah said 11,908 new voters had enrolled since the beginning of the registration process six days ago.

In addition, 2,000 citizens applied to change their electoral districts, Maaytah added.

Rifai began his field visit to Karak with a tour of Karak Public Hospital, where he asserted that the government is working to improve medical services in the various state-run hospitals across the Kingdom.

The premier checked on the expansion of the public hospital, which will, under the plan, accommodate 253 beds, up from the current 132 beds.

He listened to citizens’ and patients’ remarks and complaints on the hospital’s services that highlighted the shortage of specialised physicians.

Also yesterday, Rifai checked on progress in the construction of the 177-metre suspension Karak Bridge and a major tourism project designed to leverage the city’s tourism environment.