Saudi Arabia’s King Salman issued a royal decree on Saturday to protect whistleblowers in corruption cases after some were mistreated following the submission of reports detailing misappropriation and embezzlement.
“The employees are not to be threatened regarding job security, benefits or rights,” Khalid Al-Muhaisen, the chairman of the Saudi National Anti-Corruption Commission said in a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Information. The decree stipulates “the National Anti-Corruption Commission shall report entities that take disciplinary action against employees or threaten their rights or job benefits if they report corrupt practices to the commission."
Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign in November 2017 that rounded up some of the kingdom’s most prominent businessmen, including Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. Saudi Arabia says over tens of billions of dollars have been misappropriated through corruption and embezzlement.
The campaign against corruption is part of the country’s wide-ranging Vision 2030 economic and social reform plan conceived in 2016 which seeks to lessen the kingdom’s dependence on oil revenues, diversify the economy and grow its industrial and manufacturing capabilities. As well as tackling corruption, the reform plan reduces subsidies, raises taxes and aims to sell off stakes in state-owned companies such as Aramco, the world’s biggest oil producer.
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Efforts are already paying off. The kingdom’s economy, which contracted last year, is forecast to grow 1.7 per cent in 2018, according to the International Monetary Fund.
“The new decree aims to protect and shore up the defences of whistle-blowers, as Saudi continues to work on improving its legal transparency and business-friendly rules and legislations, which are part of its pursuit to diversify the economy and attract higher levels of foreign direct investment,” said Mohamed Bardastani, Dubai-based senior economist at Oxford Economics. “The new measure is yet another step to ensure the eradication of corruption.”
Mr Al Muhaisen said that King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “are keen on fighting corruption and protecting the interests of citizens and residents who fulfill their duties and report corruption.”
The kingdom has in recent years improved its standing on global corruption indicators. The World Bank’s latest 2016 corruption indicator showed that Saudi Arabia improved its score by 18 points, the biggest gain since it entered the report in 1996. Separately, the country is ranked 62 out of 176 countries in the 2016 Corruption Perception Index produced by Transparency International.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain
Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L / 100km
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
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JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Company%20Profile
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Five expert hiking tips
- Always check the weather forecast before setting off
- Make sure you have plenty of water
- Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
- Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
- Take your litter home with you