His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday called on local community leaders in the Balqa Governorate to back national development plans by coming up with ideas for feasible projects.

At a meeting with tribal notables from the area at the Royal Court, the King said: “You know your area better than I and the government do... we have met before and I asked you to suggest ideas and strategies, but so far no one has approached us with a mechanism to achieve that.”

He stressed that Jordan needed everyone to contribute in the fight against poverty and unemployment, telling the community leaders that the country is in need of workable proposals for projects “more than ever.”

The King said the main focus at present was to continue investing in quality education as a means to secure the country's future.

“We will invest in excelling students and provide them with scholarships to study in Jordan and abroad,” he told the tribal leaders.

Participants in the meeting took turns to present the needs of their respective areas, pledging to do their utmost to contribute to the Kingdom's developmental plans.

They said residents of Balqa needed improved education and healthcare services.

Voicing appreciation for King Abdullah's efforts to achieve development in the Kingdom, the tribal leaders also praised King Abdullah's stand in defence of the Prophet Mohammad and against the offensive cartoons that were published in a Danish newspaper and stirred a wave of anger all over the Islamic world.

The Jordan Times