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Zawya
3 days ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Oman: Majlis A'Shura refers draft heritage, cybercrime laws to State Council
Muscat – Majlis A'Shura on Tuesday concluded discussions on key legislative proposals, referring draft amendments to the Cultural Heritage Law and the Cybercrime Law to the State Council for further review. The session was chaired by Tahir Mabkhout al Junaibi, Deputy Chairman of the Council, with full attendance from council members. At the opening of the session, Junaibi reaffirmed the Shura's solidarity with Qatar and condemned any violations of the sovereignty of Gulf Cooperation Council states. He reiterated Oman's commitment to peace and stability in the region, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and uphold international law. The proposed changes to the Cultural Heritage Law were presented by Abdullah Hamad al Harthy, Chairman of the Media, Tourism and Culture Committee. The amendments aim to improve the protection and management of Oman's archaeological and historical sites. They include stricter penalties for violations and propose mechanisms for the registration and preservation of cultural landmarks, while encouraging private sector investment aligned with conservation goals. Dr Talal Said al Mahabai, Deputy Chairman of the Legal Committee, provided legal analysis to ensure the amendments align with Oman's broader legal framework. Members of the council supported the proposal, highlighting the urgency of updating legislation to reflect global standards in heritage preservation. The Shura also reviewed the draft Cybercrime Law, presented by Dr Ahmed Said al Saadi, Chairman of the Legislative and Legal Committee. The law addresses issues such as financial fraud, data breaches, cyber sabotage, hacking, and online hate speech. It broadens the scope of punishable offences, increases penalties, and seeks to balance cybersecurity enforcement with individual rights. The Shura approved a report by the Public Services and Utilities Committee on a draft air services agreement between Oman and the Netherlands covering the territory of Curaçao. The agreement is intended to enhance civil aviation ties and support Oman's positioning as a regional logistics hub. In other discussions, the council reviewed and approved committee reports on several development areas. A report on telecommunications, presented by Dr Hamoud Ahmed al Yahyai, called for expanded infrastructure, improved service quality, and digital access in rural areas. The Health and Social Committee, through Mansour Zaher al Hajri, recommended greater investment incentives in private healthcare, along with a call for balanced public-private healthcare services. The Education, Research and Innovation Committee, represented by Dr Mohammed Nasser al Mahrouqi, urged stronger links between academic research and economic outputs, proposing greater private sector collaboration and support for entrepreneurship. Abdullah Zaher al Hinai, speaking for the Digital Economy Taskforce, proposed a digital economy governance framework, legislation for tech startups, and investment in sectors like semiconductors. The report also suggested establishing a sovereign digital assets registry and modernising e-commerce regulations. The Social Protection Taskforce, led by Dr Hamoud Mohammed al Yahyai, highlighted gaps in benefit distribution and called for the formation of a national entitlements committee. It recommended aligning benefits with inflation and consolidating welfare responsibilities under the Social Protection Fund. Finally, the Youth and Human Resources Committee, presented by Younis Ali al Mandhari, addressed wage protection in the private sector. It proposed legal reforms and technical measures to ensure timely wage payments and enhance labour rights enforcement. © Apex Press and Publishing Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Times of Oman
5 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Shura Council holds discussions on drafts of cultural heritage, cybercrime laws
Muscat: The Shura Council held its twelfth regular session for the second annual sitting (2024–2025) of the Tenth Term (2023–2027) on Tuesday, under the chairmanship of Tahir Mabkhout Al-Junaibi, Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council, in the presence of their Excellencies members of the Shura. During the session, the Council concluded its deliberations on the draft amendments to the Cultural Heritage Law and the Cybercrime Law, and referred both to the State Council to complete their legislative process. At the beginning of the session, Al-Junaibi expressed the Council's solidarity with the brotherly people of Qatar, condemning any violations of the sovereignty of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. He reaffirmed Oman's unwavering stance on promoting peace and respect for international law, calling for wisdom and self-restraint from all parties involved in regional conflicts to preserve peace and stability in the region and beyond. Cultural Heritage Law Amendments Abdullah Hamad Al-Harthy, Chairman of the Media, Tourism, and Culture Committee, presented the Committee's report on the proposed amendments to the Cultural Heritage Law. He stressed the importance of preserving Omani national identity and cultural legacy, stating that the amendments aim to strengthen protection and management of archaeological and historic sites in line with international standards—particularly those of UNESCO and other global heritage institutions. The proposed amendments include harsher penalties for violations such as damage to heritage sites and illegal trafficking of artifacts, as well as new mechanisms for managing, registering, and safeguarding cultural landmarks. They also encouraged private sector involvement through well-planned investment projects that balance heritage preservation with economic development. Dr. Talal Said Al-Mahabai, Deputy Chairman of the Legal Committee, also provided legal insights on the compatibility of the amendments with existing laws. Council members engaged in extensive debate, emphasising the need for updated legislation that responds to contemporary developments in cultural preservation. Cybercrime Law amendments The session also reviewed the Legislative and Legal Committee's report on the draft Cybercrime Law, presented by Dr. Ahmed Said Al-Saadi, head of the Committee. The law is designed to address the growing complexities and threats of cybercrime amid the widespread use of digital technologies in Oman. The law include provisions against financial fraud, data breaches, hacking, cyber sabotage, and online hate speech, among others. The updated draft expands the scope of criminalisation, increases penalties, and balances the protection of public order and cybersecurity with individual rights and freedoms. Members praised the law's role in strengthening Oman's digital security framework and emphasised the need for strong public awareness to combat such crimes. Bilateral air services agreement with the Netherlands The Council approved the Public Services and Utilities Committee's report on the draft air services agreement between Oman and the Netherlands concerning the territory of Curaçao. The agreement aims to boost cooperation in civil aviation, facilitate passenger and cargo movement, and enhance investment opportunities in aviation-related sectors, reinforcing Oman's position as a regional and global logistics hub. Committee reports on telecommunications quality The Council adopted the Public Services and Utilities Committee's report on improving telecommunications services. The report, delivered by Dr. Hamoud Ahmed Al-Yahyai, highlighted the importance of infrastructure development, closing the digital divide in rural areas, and ensuring fair service pricing. Investment in private healthcare A report by the Health and Social Committee, presented by Mansour Zaher Al-Hajri, emphasised the need to attract local and foreign investment into private healthcare through regulatory incentives. Members stressed ensuring equitable distribution of services and balancing public-private healthcare interests. Research, innovation, and economic impact The Education, Research, and Innovation Committee's report, presented by Dr. Mohammed Nasser Al-Mahrouqi, focused on translating scientific research into viable economic projects. Recommendations included strengthening university-industry collaboration and supporting entrepreneurship for national economic diversification. Digital economy The Council approved the Digital Economy Taskforce's report, presented by Abdullah Zaher Al-Hinai. It called for a national digital economy governance charter, legal frameworks for startups, and investment in advanced technologies like semiconductors. Other proposals included creating a sovereign registry of digital assets, e-commerce legislation, and regional digital business environments. The Social Protection Taskforce, through Dr Hamoud Mohammed Al-Yahyai, outlined key challenges in the current system, such as funding limitations and benefit distribution. Recommendations included, accelerating formation of a social benefit entitlements committee, revising benefit values based on economic indicators, developing a national income database aligned with household spending and inflation data, ensuring continued support for low-income groups, including school-related allowances and shifting administrative responsibilities from various ministries to the Social Protection Fund. Wage Protection System The Youth and Human Resources Committee report, presented by Younis Ali Al-Mandhari, emphasised stable and timely wage disbursement in the private sector. The report addressed regulatory gaps, enforcement challenges, and proposed legal reforms, education initiatives, and technical support to ensure transparency and fairness in labor practices. The Council will convene its thirteenth regular session on Wednesday to discuss the statement of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion.
Times of Oman
18-06-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Creation of new job opportunities for citizens in tourism sector discussed
Muscat: The Media, Tourism, and Culture Committee of the Shura Council held its seventh meeting of the second annual session (2024–2025) of the tenth term on, chaired by Abdullah Hamad Al-Harthy. The session hosted Azzan Qassim Al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Tourism at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, along with ministry officials, to discuss strategies for enhancing job localisation in the tourism sector and the establishment of integrated tourism cities and service stations for mobile homes. Al-Harthy welcomed the ministry representatives, highlighting the value of direct engagement with government bodies to exchange ideas and advance the tourism sector—one of Oman's key pillars for economic diversification under Vision 2040. The Undersecretary gave a detailed presentation on the tourism sector's latest performance indicators, including its contribution to GDP, growth in local and foreign investments, and the expansion of hospitality infrastructure. He also outlined future development plans, ongoing inter-agency coordination efforts, and challenges facing the sector. He emphasised the link between expanding tourism projects and creating new job opportunities for Omanis. The members raised questions regarding the ministry's job creation efforts, particularly in replacing expatriates in supervisory and managerial roles. They stressed the need for phased Omanisation targets in the hospitality sector that preserve service quality. Discussions also touched on establishing integrated service stations for mobile homes to support adventure and desert tourism, ensuring high standards of safety and accessibility. The concept of fully integrated tourism cities—with hotels, entertainment, retail, and services—was also explored as a means of attracting domestic and foreign investment. The committee praised the ministry's efforts in promoting tourism and local employment. It underscored the importance of cross-sector coordination, leveraging global best practices, and maximising Oman's unique cultural, natural, and heritage assets to strengthen the country's regional and international tourism competitiveness.
