RIYADH: Majid Al-Qasabi, minister of commerce and investment and minister of municipal and rural affairs, asked his Twitter followers what they would do if they were a Saudi minister in 2020.
The tweet went viral, with thousands of likes and retweets and almost 9,000 replies to his question.
Bader Al-Eyadah commented on the tweet by saying how Al-Qasabi’s question demonstrates his desire to change the Kingdom for the better.
Khalid Al-Shouraidah said that he would focus on “reviewing all decisions that have harmed commercial and economic mobility, like taxation on productive labor in small businesses.”
Abdurahman Al-Dahas said that the minister of municipal and rural affairs needed to change building regulations and city plans.
“The impact is very big on the economic, social and health side. Our cities need to raise quality of life. And the solutions are not difficult, but we need to change some of the urban legislation,” he said.
Al-Dahas posted two photos to show the gap between reality and his goal: “Compare the two images and you’ll see the difference we can make.”
Salha Al-Shuweil said she would contribute to resource sustainability and the maintenance of infrastructure through increasing renewable energy.
Al-Qasabi’s question was also discussed on WhatsApp, where a group of fashion entrepreneurs submitted their ideas.
Manal Al-Harbi, who is working on opening a tailoring store, she said that she would focus on improving the space in front of shops by pavementing them.
“Even in neighborhoods, the sideways are narrow and it’s difficult to walk. Especially when houses are required to plant trees. Eventually, you will find yourself walking on the road which is dangerous,” she said.
Al-Harbi added that paying a levy on expat workers should be reconsidered: “My business is still small and paying the expat employee fee is affecting my capital. I’m halfway through opening my business and my capital is almost finished. I might have to end my business before I even started it.”
