Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Who passed the tax law? Why didn't the King of Bahrain explicitly say that he was the one who passed the law? Why didn't the official newspapers say that the parliament's call for holding a tax law session was merely a nominal order to enforce the king's will? Why doesn't this king have the courage to say that he imposed the VAT and taxation law on the people of Bahrain? Why doesn't he say he a thief, robbing the poor of a shot at a decent livelihood? Why doesn't he admit that he's a coward who doesn't want to make his tribe solely responsible for this robbery? Why doesn't this king stop his manipulative handling of laws and decrees to distract the people from the reality of the atrocious act he is committing?

On the same day King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa summoned the Shura Council and House of Representatives to convene in an extraordinary session "to take the appropriate decisions required by the next stage that bears no delay", he issued the value added tax (VAT) decree.

This king, who whenever commits a serious crime against his people covers his face with someone else's hands, thinking that no one would know it was him, used the Parliament as a curtain hung as a barrier between him and the people- a façade that receives the people's anger and insults. While he finished passing the tax that will be imposed on the people, most of whom live either in the circle or on the edge of poverty, of course, the Parliament was an ideal puppet for him.

In accordance with the established constitutional procedures, the king had to issue the legislation by a decree, on the condition that he refers it to the new Council in December 2018 to either be passed or rejected (Article 38), or waits for the new Council to convene to refer the tax by a bill set up for discussion (Article 35).

The king did not follow any of the articles stated in his Constitution promulgated after turning against the charter. He found in mixing up the two articles a way to divert attention from him and direct it towards the two councils, one of which directly appointed by him and the other formed by forging the will of Bahrainis [with sham elections].

Hamad bin Isa approved the tax law Friday morning (October 5), which will begin taking from the pockets of Bahrainis by the force of law after its publication in the official Gazette. The measure was taken in exchange for receiving financial assistance from the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, which Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud praised.

While passing this decree, Hamad bin Isa did not think about the impoverished citizens who will pay the price. This is something so far for him to even consider. He was only planning to quickly meet the economic and financial obligations imposed on him by the Gulf lenders.

Hamad bin Isa used 70 fingerprints from different tribes so that all tribes would have a share of involvement in the VAT crime. Indeed, he succeeded in diverting attention from him, and made Bahrainis frustrated and outraged at the Councils (they, of course, deserve this), before revealing that the date of publication of the decree in the Official Gazette was prior to the urgent session.

Actually, he did not order the two councils to convene in order to take their opinion, but rather hide behind them as the puppet theater director does. He held the puppets and pulled the strings as he wished, and as criminals do, wore gloves to avoid leaving any fingerprints.

The king will do the same every time he wants or the "Bahrain Team" wants to whip the poor, so that they would pay for their flops and the government's continued failure to manage the country's affairs. After adding the tax, new regulations for retirement and disbursement of cash subsidies will be added soon. Keep an eye on the Official Gazette to remain aware of the one robbing the poor.

Arabic Version