AlQa'dah 1, 1433, Sep 17, 2012, SPA -- Presided over by its Deputy Speaker Dr. Mohammed Ameen Al-Jeffery, Majlis Al-Shura (Consultative Council) discussed a number of issues, including Zakat (alms) levying system, the detaining or keeping in custody of military men or civil service personnel being convicted of debits or traffic offenses, telecommunication and information technology, and King Fahd National Library performance. Dr. Abdullah Abdulqader read the Zakat bill at the Shura 53rd session, saying that the new system aims at achieving justice and equality so that nobody pays more than should be paid. The 46-article seven-chapter system prescribes the money that should be levied and deposited into Zakat account for the benefit of social insurance beneficiaries according to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency list, thus drawing a clear-cut line between the State's revenues and Zakat money. The bill, which replies 47 questions raised by Shura members during previous session, was again subject to detailed and professional discussion by the floor. A number of members criticized the bill as not satisfactory and not accurate in some time. Finally, the Council formed an ad hoc committee to study the system's articles anew, ignoring the authors' request to return the bill to it for more study. --More
