ALBAWABA - Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has told government officials and civil servants who own luxury cars to give him their keys or face investigations for illegal enrichment. This is seen as the strongest sign yet of his commitment to fight corruption in his administration.
Reuters says that al-Sharaa said this during an unannounced meeting on August 30 at his old home in Idlib. More than 100 high-ranking officials and businesspeople were there, and many of them came in Cadillac Escalades, Range Rovers, and Chevrolet Tahoes.
The president is said to have jokingly said, "I didn't know government salaries were this high!" before asking the officials how committed they were to revolutionary values. Reuters said that al-Sharaa scolded the people who were there, saying, "Have you forgotten that you are sons of the revolution?" How quickly have you been drawn in by luxury?
According to reports, only a few people followed his order to give up their keys before leaving the meeting hall.
Message Against Corruption and Political Setting
Two high-ranking security officials were at the meeting, which brought to light what analysts say is al-Sharaa's biggest political challenge: going from being a rebel leader to a civilian president without falling into the deep-seated corruption that plagued the Assad-era police state.
People who watch politics in Syria said that the gesture was meant to strengthen al-Sharaa's image as a legitimate and reform-minded leader that he has built up both at home and abroad since toppling the old regime.
The Syrian Ministry of Information told Reuters that the president had an informal meeting in Idlib with important people and officials to talk about political and security reforms and the need to change the investment culture that the Assad government left behind. The ministry, on the other hand, denied reports that keys were taken, calling the meeting "cordial and symbolic."
Power Struggles in the Al-Sharaa Family
People close to the presidency say that al-Sharaa's campaign against corruption has also affected his own family. Hazem al-Sharaa is in charge of foreign and domestic investments, and Maher al-Sharaa is a Syrian-Russian national who is the Secretary-General of the Presidency.
But reports say that the president's crackdown has turned a third brother, Jamal al-Sharaa, into a target. Six sources told Reuters that Jamal set up a private business office in Damascus not long after his brother became president. There, he ran import-export and tourism companies and made connections with powerful businesspeople.
The president ordered Jamal's office to close in August and told all government agencies not to work with him anymore after reports came out that he was using his family ties to make money. Reuters reporters who went to the site said it had been sealed with red wax, which is a common way to protect properties that are being looked into for corruption in the area.
The Ministry of Information confirmed the closure and said that Jamal "was not allowed to do any business or investment," making it clear that he did not hold an official government position.
After the closure, al-Sharaa called a family meeting with his 79-year-old father to tell them not to use the family name for their own gain, according to a family member who was there.
