Naturalization in Bahrain

This is an interesting and important story:

"Bahrain's interior ministry on Wednesday sought to tackle a looming political and social row over the alleged naturalisation of hundreds of Asians by stating that the law allowed eligible residents to apply for Bahraini citizenship.

"'The law allows any Arab citizen who has spent 15 years in Bahrain or any non-Arab national who has lived in Bahrain for at least 25 years and has a steady income, a clean police record and speaks Arabic to apply to become Bahrainis. It is then up to the authorities to decide whether the applicant is eligible or not,' interior ministry assistant undersecretary for legal affairs, Mohammad Rashed Bu Hmood, said in a press statement.

"Parliamentarians and activists on Tuesday led by Abdul Nabi Salman, reported seeing hundreds of Asians at the immigration offices and expressed concern that the government was granting them Bahraini nationality a few weeks before the municipal and parliamentary elections in a bid to influence the outcome...

"The society charges that the massive naturalisation of hundreds of pro-government Asians would be used to decide the winners of the elections in which Al Wefaq will take part after it boycotted the 2002 polls."

I have no idea where to even start with the commentary.