(MENAFN- Jordan Times) The government accused the Muslim Brotherhood of aiming to limit the King's powers, emphasising that this is unacceptable to the Jordanian people.
Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Samih Maaytah said the main reason the Brotherhood announced its boycott of the upcoming parliamentary polls is that it is only concerned with changing the Constitution, particularly provisions on the King's powers.
"The Jordanian people have a different say on that," Maaytah told reporters at a press conference on Sunday.
"It has become clear that the Islamists are boycotting the elections not because they have a problem with the Elections Law; rather, they insist on changing the Constitution before they participate in the elections," the minister said.
He asserted that the "the King's powers are not negotiable and we, the government, will not bargain with any political party in return for its participation in the political process".
Maaytah noted that several political parties, despite their objection to the Elections Law, which critics say has reinstated the one-man, one-vote system, have decided to run in the elections "and push for changing the legislation from within the next Parliament".
The official reiterated that the next national elections will be held before the end of the year in response to the King's pledge to the public and on the basis of the new Elections Law.
However, head of the Independent Elections Commission Abdul Ilah Khatib said during a meeting with women activists that the exact date of the elections has not yet been set, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
By Sunday, 55,000 citizens had registered for the elections, as a campaign to encourage voters to register for the process is currently under way.
Citing His Majesty King Abdullah's statements in an interview with US-based media networks, Maaytah said the elections are only the first step and a gateway to further reforms, adding that once a new Parliament is elected it will be mandated with taking the reform process to the next level.
His Majesty said that if the Muslim Brotherhood want to change the Constitution and serve Jordanian society the way they plan, they can do it under the Dome.
The controversial Elections Law, which critics say has reinstated the one-person, one-vote system, has polarised politicians and voters.
While the Muslim Brotherhood and allies, including the Jordan Reform Front, an umbrella of around a dozen opposition parties, along with grass-roots movements have announced they are boycotting the elections, centrist parties said they are moving ahead with their participation in the next elections.
The Islamist-dominated Professional Associations Council sent a letter to King Abdullah last week, urging him to intervene and change the Elections Law. In an interview broadcast Wednesday by three key US TV networks, the King said the country is heading towards the polls under the existing law and urged the opposition not to miss the chance of becoming part of the change process.
However, the centrist parties, which comprise former statesmen and tribal leaders, push for what they term as "a unified official stand" on the polls, citing "inconsistency" in officials' statements.
The National Current Party said in a statement on Sunday that the most important thing at this stage is that concerned state agencies adopt one unified stand and speak to the public in one voice.
The party warned that such inconsistency might give voters a negative impression and thus lead to an apathetic public opinion.
"Such an atmosphere would leave the reform process in jeopardy," the party said.
Meanwhile, the Jordanian National Union Party announced Sunday its plan for participation in the parliamentary elections.
In a statement, the party called on its members and supporters to register for the elections as "this is first step to achieve the party's goals".
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