Saudis take to Twitter to demand better pay

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.

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.

"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 per cent and affects mainly young people, who represent 60 per cent of the 20-million-strong native population.

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 per cent 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.

Saudi Arabia is not alone in taking to Twitter to voice economic gripes. Complaints have also emerged from other wealthy Gulf states.

Kuwait

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.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.