Kuwait City  - Kuwaiti Interior Minister Sheikh Jaber Khalid al-Sabah Wednesday survived a parliamentary no-confidence vote, Kuwait's official KUNA news agency reported.

Thirty lawmakers voted against the measure to declare parliament's lack of confidence in him. Only 16 voted in favour, and two abstained, the news agency said.

Ten opposition lawmakers had requested the vote last month, after accusations surfaced that the minister had installed cameras in private areas around the parliament to spy on lawmakers during their meetings and that he had mismanaged public funds.

Lawmaker Shuaib al-Muwaizri said the measure would serve only to "sunder national unity."

"There is a dire need to focus on passing laws that will improve services," he said, adding parliament should devote its attention to the Kuwaiti people.

The Kuwaiti parliament has voted on 15 no-confidence measures since it was established in 1963. Individual ministers have resigned three times after such votes. In two other cases, the entire government resigned.(dpa)