Saad al-Fagih: Saudi Arabia “Hijacked by Corrupt Minority”

DID Press: Saad al-Fagih, a prominent Saudi opposition figure, claimed Saudi Arabia is facing a deep and multilayered crisis rooted in the policies of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Speaking on the YouTube channel al-Islah Network, al-Fagih argued that the country’s financial situation is increasingly fragile.

He said the government, banks, Aramco, and major institutions have all turned to borrowing, a trend that he believes can ultimately trigger higher taxes, growing economic pressure on citizens, possible salary cuts, and the bankruptcy of companies.

Al-Fagih criticized high-profile mega-projects such as NEOM, the Red Sea Project, and the entertainment sector as costly initiatives with limited returns. He also described claims about large gold reserves and surging gas production as exaggerated and misleading.

He further accused the Saudi authorities of domestic repression, mass arrests of scholars and social activists, weakening religious education, and altering the country’s cultural identity. In foreign policy, he labeled the Yemen war a failure that, in his view, strengthened the influence of the United Arab Emirates.

In conclusion, al-Fagih described Saudi Arabia as a country “hijacked” by a corrupt minority, arguing that current policies are expanding poverty and unemployment, deepening social frustration, and undermining national interests.