Ammon News - AMMONNEWS- Deputies on Tuesday called on the government to terminate the services of the chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, Khaled Toukan, for his "insulting remarks against Jordanians".

During yesterday's Lower House session, 45 MPs submitted a memorandum to the speaker's office, insisting that Toukan be laid off from his position for the "abusive remarks" he allegedly used to describe those opposing Jordan's projected nuclear programme.

Websites leaked an audio recording attributed to Toukan in which the speaker described critics of the Jordanian atomic project as "donkeys and garbage men".

Signatories of the memorandum, a copy of which was made available to The Jordan Times, called for holding a general session that would look into measures the government should take against Toukan who, they charged, has offended all Jordanians and used "offensive and rude remarks" in reference to people opposing the nuclear programme.

Deputy Mubarak Twal (Madaba, 1st District), expressed dismay at the aforementioned "insulting remarks against Jordanian people", and called for holding the former education and energy minister accountable and dismiss him from his position.

"Twal's remarks represented the chamber's stance towards the whole story," said House Speaker Abdul Karim Dughmi.

Toukan was not available for comment on the authenticity of the recording or the issue.


* Jordan Times/ By Raed Omari