Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — The Cabinet on Monday approved the restructuring of the Military Service Council (MSC) under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, the King. The MSC deputy chairman will be the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. Ministers of Interior, Finance and Foreign Affairs, chief of General Intelligence and Commander of the National Guard will serve as MSC members. Three more members will be appointed through a Royal Decree. The Cabinet meeting was presided over by Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense. The Crown Prince commended the efforts of heads of state of Islamic countries in making the Islamic Solidarity Summit last month in Makkah a huge success. The summit, the Crown Prince said, strengthened the unity of the Ummah in all its dimensions. Dr. Abdul Aziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said the Council gave the go-ahead for the organization of the General Commission of Audiovisual Media. The commission, an independent entity, is to have an independent financial and administrative status with a separate annual budget. It would be directly linked to the Minister of Culture and Information. The commission is tasked with organizing and developing the audiovisual transmission besides monitoring its content so as to be in conformity with the Kingdom's media regulations. The commission is also responsible for all transmission affairs and the audiovisual content according to the relevant bylaws. It is also tasked with administrating the licensing process of all transmission activities and overseeing the presenters of the audiovisual contents to ensure that the presenters strictly abide by the defined rules. Additionally, it is responsible for looking into complaints related to the transmission and audiovisual contents. The commission should have a board of directors to be chaired by the Minister of Culture and Information. The Cabinet also approved memorandums of understanding signed with Albania and Bermuda to combat money laundering.
