Academics, youth want more effective role from Hai'a By Ahmad Ayil Faqihi Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – The appointment of a Abdullatif Aal Al-Sheikh as the new chief of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Hai'a) sparked a discussion among several notable Saudis, online and offline. They offered several suggestions that could boost the role of Hai'a in the Saudi society. Dr. Sadaka Fadhel, a writer and academic, said: “In my opinion, the Hai'a can play a big, positive role in the society if its strategy is re-charted out such that it becomes an authority that combats evil and protects integrity, and follows a method of kind persuasion for the people. “Virtue is not restricted to the relationship between a man and a woman. The Hai'a has many other roles to carry out including countering corruption of all kinds and protecting integrity.” “I'm among those who suggest merging the Hai'a with Public Security, so its role comes within the role of police,” he added. Hamad Al-Qadhi, a writer and journalist, said forging a better relationship between the Hai'a and the society was a joint responsibility. On the one hand. Hai'a members should enjoin virtue and prevent vice through kind persuasion in word and deed. On the other hand, the public should realize that the Hai'a wants to disseminate good and inhibit moral excellence. This requires of the people to not get angry. They should deal with the Hai'a staff with politeness, he added. In the online world, several Saudis debated about the Hai'a. Waleed Al-Muhaimeed, a Saudi, said on Twitter: “The Hai'a is a body we cannot do without at all, but it needs further rectification. Whatever the difference of opinion may be about the commission, they do exert great efforts. He demanded that the voice of the Hai'a be strengthened in the wide room for its criticism. Another Saudi called Nada tweeted that the work of Hai'a with its religious concept is a much-needed duty that is not restricted to the Commission's staff alone. Nobody differs on this, especially those who abide by the attributes of this Ummah. Hamid Al-Mussaiteer said the percentage of errors made by the Hai'a annually is a mere 0.00095 percent. Out of the four million tasks the Hai'a carried out, it committed only 28 errors, he said quoting a study conducted by the Research and Consultancy Services Institute at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University. Halima Mudhaffar said, “We hope Sheikh Abdullatif Aal Al-Sheikh will direct the Hai'a personnel to wage a war against corruption by officials and traders, instead of pursuing citizens.” Abdullah Al-Fadhil commented saying: “The Hai'a staff are human beings and they may commit mistakes. But we are proud of their performance. We say yes to constructive criticism and no to personal criticism. We shouldn't generalize and apply the mistakes of an individual to the whole commission.” Yasser Al-Behaijan tweeted that people should have good faith in the Hai'a and appreciate their work, instead of always casting doubts and talking about their bad intentions. __
