By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Lawmakers have warmly welcomed the appointment of Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah as a new prime minister and urged him to start a new era in the country and fight corruption, as he pledged to HH the Amir, he would safeguard democracy and the constitution.

An Amiri order was issued yesterday naming the 66-year old Sheikh Ahmad, the son of HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, to replace the outgoing premier Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah who resigned more than three months ago following a grilling by opposition MPs. In a letter sent to the Amir yesterday, Sheikh Ahmad pledged to safeguard "the constitution, democracy and the state of institutions established by our ancestors". He also vowed to exert all efforts to achieve comprehensive development.

MPs expressed optimism that Sheikh Ahmad will be able to take Kuwait out of ongoing political disputes that stalled reforms and development and vowed to lend him all cooperation needed.  Opposition MPs, who were at loggerheads with the outgoing prime minister, were overjoyed by the appointment of Sheikh Ahmad, seen as close to the opposition.

MP Ahmad Al-Azmi said the new premier has inherited a heavy legacy by a sequence of previous cabinets which strongly harmed Kuwait. MP Saud Al-Mutairi expressed the hope that the new head of government will succeed in averting the mistakes of the previous governments to "build a new Kuwait". MP Mohammad Al-Huwailah considered that the public support to the premier should form a launching pad for a new agenda of national action and comprehensive reforms.

MP Muhannad Al-Sayer said he was looking for an end to an era of sponsoring corruption and political blackmail and the start of another where citizens will be true partners. MP Muhalhal Al-Mudhaf called for achieving political and economic reforms, safeguarding public funds and seriously holding corrupt people to account.

MP Mubarak Al-Hajraf called for adopting a new policy for reforms and fighting corruption. He also called for pardoning politicians who fled the country. MP Abdullah Al-Mudhaf said that the overwhelming popular support for the new premier is the way to succeed. MP Osama Al-Shaheen said the new premier took immediate and decisive reforms as an interior minister and "we are looking for similar reforms" in the government.