Google – AFP, Assad ABBOUD (AFP), 7 October 2013
Riyadh — Despite their country boasting the world's greatest oil wealth, many Saudis complain their salaries are not enough to make ends meet, and are taking to Twitter to demand more money.
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A Saudi man
prepares to login into his Twitter account on his laptop on
October 6, 2013 at
his office in Riyadh (AFP, Fayez Nureldine)
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Riyadh — Despite their country boasting the world's greatest oil wealth, many Saudis complain their salaries are not enough to make ends meet, and are taking to Twitter to demand more money.
"The
salary is not enough", a hashtag launched in early summer on the
micro-blogging website, triggered more than 17.5 million tweets, reflecting the
frustration of many Saudis over their purchasing power.
The
campaigners called on King Abdullah to order "by decree, an increase in
the salaries of all civil servants" of the world's top oil exporter.
The basic
monthly salary of a public employee ranges from between 3,945 riyals ($1,051)
and 24,750 riyals ($6,599 dollars), in addition to various allowances,
according to a study prepared by insurance companies.
In the
private sector, the average wage is 6,400 riyals ($1,700), compared with 15,299
riyals ($4,000) in most other Gulf monarchies, according to a reported study
prepared by the World Bank and the Saudi economy ministry.
"Let
officials stop stealing... corruption has taken everything and people are the
victims," tweeted journalist Fahd al-Fahid.
Others
posted images they said reflected the misery in the kingdom -- a woman
rummaging through rubbish, families living in dilapidated houses and students
crammed into old trucks.
Some posted
cartoons, one of which featured a Saudi man standing in the shadow of a palm
tree whose fronds stretch far beyond the kingdom's borders.
The caption
reads: "Our assets go to others: the kingdom receives five percent (of the
wealth) and 95 percent goes abroad."
As an
example, Saudi Arabia has announced five billion dollars in aid to Egypt since
the army there ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in early July.
"Inflation
and continually rising prices over several years have seriously affected the
purchasing power of people," economist Abdullah al-Almi told AFP.
The result,
he said, was "a shrinking middle class".
Unemployment
stands officially at 12.5 percent and affects mainly young people, who
represent 60 percent of the 20-million-strong native population.
The job
market is still dominated by foreigners who come mainly from Southeast Asia and
accept low wages.
The
government has embarked on a policy of "Saudi-isation" of jobs,
hoping to reduce unemployment among its citizens who also happen to be big
spenders.
"Nearly
80 percent of Saudis are now living on bank loans," warned economic
consultant Zeid al-Rummani, adding that their spending is more than their
income.
And a
housing crisis marked by soaring prices of land and property "puts heavy
pressure on salaries", he said.
"Rising
property prices, which is out of control, is a crime," complained
Abdelhamid al-Amri in a tweet.
Saudi
Arabia is not alone in taking to Twitter to voice economic gripes. Complaints
have also emerged from other wealthy Gulf states.
In
neighbouring Kuwait, youth activists launched two campaigns on Twitter to urge
the oil-rich emirate to accelerate housing plans for Kuwaiti families, some of
whom have been waiting for 15 years.
The
campaigns "Nater Bait", or "waiting for a house", and
"Watan Belijar", or "a rented homeland", have been
successful, mainly among 107,000 Kuwaiti families placed on a waiting list for
homes.
Kuwait has
a national population of 1.2 million people and financial assets estimated at
more than $400 billion. The government builds houses for Kuwaitis against an
interest-free loan repayable over 30 years.
Those
behind the campaign there now plan to lobby the newly elected parliament to
make the housing problem a top priority.
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