Kuwait’s emir has pledged the full application of the law against a former lawmaker who had sparked a deep controversy by criticising a local tribe on Twitter.

The law will be applied forcefully against Mohammad Al Juwaihal who abused the Mutair tribe and also against those who supported him, Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad was quoted as saying in the Kuwaiti media.

The emir made the pledge as he received members of Al Mutair tribe to discuss the controversy.

MP Dhaif Allah Buramia who attended the meeting said that the emir was upset over the incident and that he had ordered the arrest of Al Juwaihal and the launch of legal action against him.

“The people of Kuwait are not the only ones to be upset over the negative posting. I am most upset over the statements that we do not tolerate regardless of their target,” the emir was quoted as telling the tribe’s delegation.

Buramia said that investigations have been launched to apprehend those who stood behind Al Juwaihal.

“[His highness] the emir told us that he was personally monitoring the situation and that he wanted the full application of the law. He said that he would stress this orientation during his visits to the Ministry of Interior, the National Guard and the defence forces,” he said.

Local Arabic daily Al Qabas on Thursday said that Al Juwaihal denied during investigation that he has a Twitter account and that the account using his name was not his.

He added that the account was set up in a neighbouring Arab country.

Al Juwaihal who was elected to parliament on February 2 has waded into controversy, even before the elections, by adopting a strong anti-naturalisation line and by accusing several segments of the Kuwaiti society of not being “genuine Kuwaitis” and therefore “not having a deep sense of patriotism.”

During the election campaign, his tent headquarters was set ablaze by people seemingly angered by his remarks.

His populist views and his statements at the parliament have often resulted in clashes with fellow MPs.

Several opposition groups have charged that he was “a stooge used by hidden dark forces bent on creating confusion and chaos in the country.”

The 2012 parliament was dissolved and the 2009 legislative body was reinstated in a historic verdict issued by the Constitutional Court. The sentence is final and cannot be challenged.

However, the first session of the reinstated parliament was put off this week after only a few MPs showed up.

The speaker called for another session, but said that he would take up the matter with the emir if the quorum required to proceed with the agenda was not reached.

Gulf News