Fighting corruption is a must, survey finds [Archives:2006/978/Reportage]

By: Yemen Times Staff
In a survey the Yemen Times recently conducted, many Yemeni citizens demand the elected president fight corruption and raise their living standard. While many doubt the election's fairness, they will participate so they can change the current situation for the better. Respondents in various Yemeni governorates were asked the following questions:

1- Will you vote in the upcoming September election?

2- Do you think the election will be fair?

3- What's the first thing you demand the elected president do?

Accountant Samah Al-Fusil:

Yes, I'll vote in the upcoming election. I believe it'll be an honest election because it reflects the public will to put the right man in the right position. I want the next president to save Yemen from wars and spread peace.

The first thing the coming president should do is reform the political system as well as economic conditions. Although primary indicators don't make us optimistic, we hope the elections will be fair.

Secretary Hana Al-Sanhani:

I'm not going to vote for anyone because I believe this election's result will be the same as the previous one, so there's no need to vote in an election where I know the result. I don't think the election will be fair or honest. I only want the elected president to save Yemen from the effects of external wars.

Yaqoub Nahsal:

Participating in the election neither serves citizens nor the candidates. For one thing, the situation is the same: increasing poverty, all-encompassing unemployment, a deteriorated economy, rampant corruption, a dependent judiciary, low education, military governance and the list goes on. The candidates seek only to satisfy their parties and their parties seek to satisfy them, thus forgetting about the voters. Candidates are very kind and modest during the election, but after elected, they just think of their future.

What I want the elected president to do is see with his own eyes and feel with his own heart. I want him to live just one day among the poor and then decide who cares for whom. I want to tell the foreign observers to go to the remote areas where the elections are likely to be unfair.

Grocer Mohammed Amin:

I will vote in the election. For one thing, we look forward to many projects and ensuring state interest and reasonable prices. As usual, elections aren't fair in villages and remote areas because they always have violations. I've seen them. But elections are fair in major cities because you know they don't dare violate the election there. The first thing I want the elected president to do is pave the road in our village, Ubais.

Grocer Abdul-Fattah Al-Jaberi:

I won't vote in the upcoming election because there's no advantage in doing so. Of course the election will be fair. The elected president should stop bribery, lower foodstuff prices and raise the Yemeni riyal's value.

Security guard Rami Ghaleb:

I'll do my duty by voting in the election, but I'm in doubt as to its fairness. The first thing the elected president should do is raise employee salaries and specify payments of those working for the private sector.

Mansour Asa'd:

I will vote in the election in order to change the current situation for the better. We'll elect as many Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) members as possible to local councils. As for the presidential election, we'll vote for the JMP candidate to build a state of law and discipline.

Abdul-Karim Al-Shahari:

Participating in the elections is an axiomatic matter. I will vote and I think no Yemeni citizen will abstain from voting in the elections because it's a national duty for achieving the hopes of the people. As for me, I'll vote for Ali Abdullah Saleh because he's achieved things no previous president has. What we want from the next president is to improve basic services like water, electricity, health and education. He also should eradicate corruption wherever it is.

Writer Mohammed Taher:

I don't think I'll vote in the upcoming elections because organizing and promoting them, as well as the practices of all candidates from both the official authorities and the opposition is like a comic play, with everyone looking out for their own interests and the interests of their parties.

We can't find real, sincere platforms. In the five presidential candidates' platforms, we can't find anything to do with Islamic rule or how to discard legal violations rife in our social, economic and political life. These elections only spend people's funds uselessly.

We hold a different view in the Salafi movement. In Islam, democracy contradicts Shoura and leads to more schisms in society. The upcoming president should make the law Islamic, which is the most obligatory matter.

Local council candidate Hazza Mohammed Ghaleb:

I expect the presidential election to be fair with varying proportions in some constituencies. The first thing the elected president should do is eliminate corruption, determine the presidency budget and improve the economy.

Physician Yahya Sa'eed Al-Salehi:

I will vote in the upcoming election in order to implant the principle of peaceful transfer of power and change citizens' status for the better. Voting in the presidential election is both a national and a religious duty. Above all, the elected president should raise the living standard, dry up the springheads of corruption, make expenditures in unnecessary fields reasonable and secure peace and security for both citizens and investors.

Ali Ahmed Sa'eed:

I will vote in the upcoming election to elect a good and honest man who can elevate citizens' living standard and also become closer to them. The upcoming president should lift Yemen to progress and development and not leave the situation as it is.

Zaid Abu Arejal:

Voting in the election is an important way to change into peaceful transfer of power. I think the elected president should have priorities, such as inclusive political reform, fighting corruption, equal job opportunities for all,etc.

Executive coordinator Fatima

Al-Ajel:

Of course I'll vote in the upcoming election. I hope this election will be honest because international supervisors will monitor the voting process. I want the elected president to eradicate poverty and widespread corruption and preserve Yemen's security.

Journalist Saleh Bin Mohanna:

I want the elected president to raze corruption, raise the living standard and care for education and culture. I will vote in the elections because my voice is very important for the one who deserves to direct the country. Talking about the elections' fairness is premature because there are observers to monitor them and decide whether or not they are fair.

Qaid Al-Radfani:

I won't vote in the September election only because Ali Abdullah Saleh will win, whatever the results and whatever number of voters are in favor of or against him. There are never fair elections in Yemen or in the Arab world. Elections are false. The first thing the elected president should do is reform the judiciary, provide security and apply the law to all.

Lecturer Hamed Mohammed Dahhan:

As an academic, I hope the elected president will care for the education sector, especially universities, by qualifying local citizens because we don't want to depend on foreigners. The elections will be fair if under supervision of the United Nations and the election committee. Of course I'll vote in the elections because it's one of my rights.

Security guard Abdul-Rahman Ahmed Al-Attas:

We request the upcoming president to focus on and uplift citizens and change Yemen into a Gulf-like country, as far as its economy is concerned. I will vote in the elections, but I really don't know if they'll be fair or not.

Zaid Al-Duwailah:

I want the elected president to spread justice among citizens because we need financial and administrative reform. I think the elections will be fair and I'll vote in them.

Education inspector Haj Bin Dehri:

What I want the next president to do is improve the status in general, focus on education, improve living standards and reform the social status. In order to contribute to selecting the appropriate person, I will vote in the elections, which I hope will be fair.

Mohammed Ali Basameer:

To change the current situation is what we request of the upcoming president. We also want him to eradicate the tree of corruption, care for education and give Yemen a valuable position. I will vote in the elections only to make a change and I hope they'll be fair, although I doubt it.

Security guard Mahmoud Abdul-Wasei:

Of course I'll vote in the election because it's a desire to change for the better. I hope the election will be fair, but its fairness isn't for sure. What we ask the elected president to do first is apply the financial liability law to all state officials.

Taha Mohammed Al-Basi:

I hope the elected president will demolish corruption, improve citizens' living standard, care for education and provide job opportunities for youths. With the desire to give my voice to one of the candidates, I'll urge my family to follow suit so we can achieve true democracy and peaceful transfer of power. We hope the election will be free and fair, although indications prove otherwise.

Student Abdullah Khalid:

I hope the elected president will work sincerely for Yemen's sake and replace his bad companions with good ones capable of helping him serve the nation. I want to vote for change in the elections, which I hope will be free and fair.
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