DUBAI, Jan 12 (Reuters) – Several Bahraini members of parliament on Tuesday condemned a government decision to raise fuel prices, a move the lawmakers said would hurt the poor and was taken without their approval.
The session, which the speaker adjourned amid shouting and protests by MPs, was a rare venting of opposition to government policy in the Gulf island monarchy.
The parliament is composed of mostly pro-government lawmakers since the Shi’ite-led opposition boycotted a 2014 parliamentary election, making their dissent of government policy all the more unusual.
The cabinet set the new price for super fuel at 160 Bahraini fils ($0.424) per litre from 100 fils on Monday. The price for regular fuel was raised to 125 fils per litre from 90 fils. The new prices took effect on Tuesday.
“The decision will make the poor poorer. We demand an improvement to people’s standard of living, and what the government did yesterday will not achieve that,” MP Jamal Dawood said.
“The decision ignored that there’s a parliament. We should resign,” said Mohammed Alamadi, another lawmaker.
It was unclear if opponents to the move were a majority in the body, which has limited direct powers in a country were the ultimate decision making residents with the ruling Al Khalifa family.
Bahrain, along with its wealthier Gulf Arab neighbours, is looking to increase revenue amid falling global oil prices. And also like other Gulf oil-exporting states, Bahrain has for years subsidised food, fuel, electricity and water, keeping prices ultra-low in an effort to maintain social order.
Since its oil income began to fall last year, Bahrain’s budget deficit has widened and the subsidies have become much harder for the government to afford. Fuel price subsidies have already been eased in Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
The kingdom is already grappling with political tensions since 2011 “Arab Spring” protests, as the Shi’ite Muslim majority demands more rights from the Sunni-led government.
(Reporting By Gulf Bureau, editing by Larry King)