By B Izzak & KUNA

KUWAIT: The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a new traffic law which stipulates tougher penalties, including prison terms. A brief statement issued following the weekly Cabinet meeting, chaired by Acting Premier, Interior and Defense Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, said the new law was approved and sent to HH the Amir to issue it in a decree.

It added that the new legislation toughens penalties and fines on offenses, mainly running the red traffic light, reckless driving, holding unlicensed races on public roads, speeding and wrong-side driving. The legislation becomes official after it is issued in a decree by HH the Amir, expected to take place soon. It may be enforced after several weeks in order to prepare the necessary bylaws.

The legislation replaces a majority of articles of the existing traffic law issued in 1976, considered by many as lenient in the face of ever-rising accidents and casualties. No details of the law were given by the Cabinet, but last month Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs and Operations, Maj Gen Yousef Al-Khaddah, provided some details in an interview to state news agency KUNA.

He said that the smallest fine in the new law would be KD 15 for parking in prohibited areas (KD 5 currently) and the largest fine could reach as high as KD 5,000 for causing serious injury or death while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The fine for using a mobile while driving will be increased from KD 5 to KD 75, while the fine for not using a seatbelt will triple from KD 10 to KD 30, he said.

The fine for reckless driving will be tripled to KD 150, while fines for running the red light and racing on the road will be raised threefold to KD 150 each, Khaddah said. Vehicles with harmful emissions, loud noises, or leaking harmful liquids will have their fines increased from KD 10 currently to KD 75, while the fine for parking in places for the handicapped will be increased 15-fold to KD 150, he said.

The fines for speeding will be raised from between KD 20 to 50 to as high as between KD 70 and KD 150, based on how much a motorist exceeds the speed limit. Khaddah said the fines and penalties for driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs have been significantly increased.

Those who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be fined between KD 1,000 and KD 3,000 and jailed between one and two years.

If they damage public or private property, the fine will be between KD 2,000 and KD 3,000 and one to three years of imprisonment. However, if these drivers cause death or injury, the fine will be at least KD 2,000 and could go up to KD 5,000, in addition to a jail term ranging between two and five years. Khaddah said that jail terms can be replaced by social service under the new law. The new law also allows vehicles to be impounded at home instead of being kept at the ministry facilities. Under the new law, expats can own only one vehicle under their name, Khaddah had said.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Fahad said on Tuesday the Supreme Committee to Investigate Kuwaiti Citizenship is "accurately” studying all files. In an interview with the "90 Minute” program broadcast on Kuwait TV news channel, Sheikh Fahad said the committee is looking into all old dossiers previously checked by the General Directorate of Nationality and Travel Documents.

The committee, which includes the deputy prime minister, minister of state, minister of foreign affairs and Cabinet secretary general, in collaboration with the directorate, is checking during its weekly meetings on Thursday the files received to withdraw Kuwaiti citizenship.

The head of the technical office at the ministry of interior Col Mohammad Al-Mezyad stressed the directorate’s keenness on cementing the bases of citizenship and enhancing national allegiance by ensuring the accuracy of the files, in line with high standards. He reviewed accurate procedures and studies of citizenship files, affirming that after completing an investigation, the file is submitted to the technical office to check all sides related to the case. The committee takes a final decision in accordance with what has been checked and analyzed during the meeting, he noted.

Meanwhile, the head of the follow-up and inquiry directorate Col Abdelaziz Al-Omairi said maintaining Kuwait’s identity is a national responsibility of every citizen. During the interview, he reviewed the files studied by the committee and mechanisms of verifying forged and/or dual citizenship. Those whose citizenships were withdrawn will get temporary identities until their positions are adjusted, he said. He pointed out that a large number of people obtained Kuwaiti citizenship mainly after the brutal Iraqi invasion in 1990.

Assistant head of the directorate Col Turki Al-Sabah said the number of those who lost their citizenship is 4,447, citing the supreme committee’s statistics. The process of withdrawing citizenship is ongoing to face forgery, he said. Article 5 of the constitution stipulates giving citizenship to any person who has rendered valuable services to Kuwait, in addition to other cases which have the right to get nationality, he noted. The recent amendments to the nationality law are enough at present to address any loopholes, he stated.